Are there age restrictions for obtaining a driving license?

This is when older drivers will not be able to renew their driver's license.

We all know that driver’s licenses in our country are issued from the age of 18 for a period of ten years. After this period, drivers are required to exchange their license for a new one after undergoing a mandatory medical examination, including a visit to a narcologist and a psychiatrist. And if you have no health problems (no contraindications to driving), you are not registered with a drug treatment clinic, or with a psychiatrist, then you will be given a medical certificate without any problems, which is necessary to replace your license.

In this case, you just need to pay the state fee, contact the traffic police or the MFC (in Moscow “My Documents”) with a corresponding application, attaching a valid medical certificate with notes from a psychiatrist and narcologist. But what about older people who may have health problems? How can older drivers change their license?

In our country, in fact, there is no direct ban on driving by older drivers. Even an 80-90 year old person can get behind the wheel. The only thing is that the driver should not have medical contraindications to driving, and he should not be registered with a drug treatment clinic or a psychiatrist. That is, it doesn’t matter what age you are. The main thing is a valid medical certificate, which gives you the right to renew your driver’s license for a new period. Thus, it turns out that, in principle, for medical reasons, it will not be possible to extend the license not only for older people who may have diseases that prevent them from driving, but also for younger motorists who, for medical reasons, are prohibited from driving.

However, for older people it is a little more difficult to obtain a medical certificate confirming the absence of contraindications. After all, the older a person is, the more various chronic diseases he may have. And, unfortunately, many diseases can be an obstacle to driving, since in this case the person behind the wheel poses a real danger to road users.

Naturally, when passing a medical driver's examination, attention to older people is much greater. True, if we are talking about a medical commission in state medical institutions. In commercial medical organizations, it is much easier for older people to undergo a medical examination. You understand that any commercial organization is interested in issuing the maximum number of medical certificates. After all, for many of them this is, in fact, their main income.

But this does not mean that older drivers are more likely to pass a driver's test at commercial medical centers. Not so simple. Although there really is some truth in this. In a regular clinic, such a patient may not undergo a medical examination. Especially at your place of residence (in your district clinic, where the driver’s medical record is stored). Indeed, in the clinic at the place of residence, doctors who will examine an older driver can familiarize themselves with the driver’s medical history, paying attention to all the chronic diseases he has.

In this case, if some chronic diseases do not allow a person to drive, then most likely he will not pass the driver’s examination. In commercial medical centers, as a rule, there is no access to your medical record, since it is stored in the district clinic to which you are assigned. This means that in most cases, a commercial medical institution will issue you a certificate of authorization to drive a vehicle without any problems. True, this does not mean that in our country there is a 100% way to avoid losing your license due to contraindications to driving.

At what age can you get a motorcycle license?

To drive a motorcycle whose weight does not exceed 550 kg, you must first undergo training, pass examination tests, and then apply for a driver’s license with an open category “A”. Future bikers can't wait to find out at what age you can get a driver's license to drive motor vehicles. There is a slight difference in the credentials here.

If the license holder has an open subcategory “A1”, then he can only drive “light” motorcycles, up to 11 kW with power and engine capacity up to 125 cm3. Such a certificate can be obtained from the age of 16. Driving more powerful motor vehicles is a completely different matter. There is already an age limit here. Those persons who have not reached 18 years of age cannot be allowed to drive powerful bikes.

Can the validity of an older driver's driver's license be limited?

Did you know that even if you received your license for a new term, you can lose it if you are found to have contraindications for driving? How so?

It's simple. Every year, the prosecutor's office checks a certain number of driver's licenses issued by the traffic police in order to identify drivers who have contraindications to driving a vehicle. How does such a procedure take place?

The prosecutor's office is asking the traffic police for a list of drivers who recently received a license for a new term. Next, inquiries are made about the drivers to the medical organizations that issued the medical certificates. Then, data is requested from government clinics to which the drivers who came under inspection are assigned. And if the clinic receives information about the presence of contraindications for driving a car for some drivers, then the prosecutor's office goes to court, which in the future will impose restrictions on the validity of newly issued driver's licenses.

More precisely, this procedure does not deprive the driver of his driving license, but only limits it. That is, if your health improves and no longer prevents you from driving, restrictions on your license can be lifted. In this case, you do not need to retake the exams at the traffic police, as after the end of the period of deprivation of rights. After all, in essence, you were not deprived of your rights, but only their scope was limited.

What diseases can cause a driver's license to be suspended?

In fact, within the framework of this article it is impossible to describe a complete list of diseases that interfere with driving, since there are so many of them. Moreover, each disease has a number of symptoms, some of which are grounds for restricting a driver’s license, while other symptoms may not restrict the driver’s driver’s license. And unfortunately, with the same disease, different people can have completely different symptoms. So, only doctors decide after an appropriate examination whether to restrict a person’s driver’s license or not.

The most common grounds for restricting a driver's license are illnesses associated with high or low blood pressure. Drivers who frequently have high blood pressure (hypertension) are at particular risk. Moreover, it is most dangerous when such drivers drive public transport or taxis. After all, such a driver poses a danger not only to all road users, but also to passengers. That is why drivers in bus depots, car depots and taxi companies must undergo a pre-trip medical examination every day.

In this case, the risk of a driver with high blood pressure being behind the wheel on a flight is reduced. Although it is worth recognizing that the procedure for medical pre-trip examinations in our country is not entirely transparent and many motor depots and fleets often turn a blind eye to the condition of their personnel, releasing drivers who are not entirely healthy for the flight, thereby jeopardizing the safety of road users and passengers.

But why is a person with high blood pressure dangerous on the road? Why, if systematic problems with blood pressure are detected, may the driver fail a medical examination? The fact is that high blood pressure is a huge risk of stroke and heart attack. Also, a person with high blood pressure may suddenly lose concentration on the road, moreover, he may even lose consciousness. And there are many such cases in our country.

So, hypertension (especially chronic) can become a basis for refusing to issue a medical certificate to renew a driver’s license? Yes maybe. This is especially true for older drivers, for whom hypertension is more dangerous, since their blood vessels are not in the same condition as those of young people. Therefore, older people suffering from hypertension have a greater risk of heart attack and stroke, as a result of which they often do not receive a positive conclusion from the driver's commission.

Neurological diseases can also interfere with the management of TS. For example, a common cause of health problems among older people are diseases of the musculoskeletal system, in particular herniated discs of the spine, which can pinch nerves, leading not only to numbness of the limbs, but also often cause disability due to limited freedom of movement.

Naturally, with this type of illness, an elderly person may not be issued a medical certificate to obtain a driver’s license for a new term.

Indeed, with spinal hernias, a person may suddenly lose sensitivity in their arms or legs, which is very dangerous when driving a car.

And, of course, the most important thing for any driver is vision, without which it is impossible to imagine driving any vehicle. Unfortunately, as most drivers age, their visual acuity decreases, which negatively affects the safety of driving. So, when undergoing the next medical examination, older people should be prepared that the ophthalmologist will reveal a decrease in the quality of their vision, which may at least result in them being allowed to drive a car only with glasses. However, there are many eye diseases that prevent driving even with glasses. Therefore, the older a person is, the more likely it is that he will not pass the driver’s examination to renew his driver’s license for a new term.

A complete list of diseases that may interfere with driving can be read in our other detailed article here.

Obtaining a driver's license after 60 years of age

Is it possible to get a driver's license in Russia after 60 years of age? Are there any age restrictions in current legislation?

These questions are often asked by retired citizens who want to learn how to drive a vehicle. For complete information, read on.

Is it possible to get

In accordance with Article 26 of Federal Law No. 196 (Law “On Road Safety”), the following persons are allowed to take the driver’s license exam:

• have reached a certain age. Currently, the following rules apply: people over 16 years of age can drive vehicles of categories A1 and M;
• driving licenses for cars belonging to categories A, B, B1, C, C1 are issued upon reaching 18 years of age. However, a person over 17 years of age can take exams for these categories;
• To obtain a license for vehicles belonging to categories D, D1, Tm and Tb, you must be over 21 years old.

Thus, in current legislation there are restrictions only on the minimum age of future drivers.

That is, any person, be it a man or a woman over the age of 60, has every right to pass qualifying exams and obtain the right to drive vehicles of any category.

How is a medical examination for a driver's license carried out after 60 years of age?

The procedure for conducting a medical examination to obtain a driver’s license is set out in Appendix 1 to Order of the Ministry of Health No. 344-n dated June 15, 2015.

Medical examination for permission to drive certain categories of vehicles can be carried out:

• in state and municipal hospitals;
• in private clinics that have the appropriate license.

Examinations by psychiatrists and narcologists are carried out exclusively in municipal health care institutions at the place of permanent registration or temporary registration of the candidate driver.

During the examination, examinations are carried out by the following specialists:

• therapist or general practitioner (family doctor). It is this specialist who draws up the final conclusion and issues a certificate of passing the commission;
• ophthalmologist;
• psychiatrist;
• narcologist. During the check, this specialist may take a urine sample to detect prohibited drugs in the body.

As prescribed by the therapist, additional examinations by doctors may be prescribed:

• neurologist. Upon referral from this specialist, each driver may be sent to undergo electroencephalography;
• otorhinolaryngologist.

In order to pass a commission for a driver’s license after 60 years of age for women and men at a medical institution without any problems or complications, you must provide:

• current ECG (electrocardiogram) result;
• if the candidate driver has any chronic diseases, then an extract from the medical record, which is maintained at the place where the patient’s health is monitored, will also be required;
• If there are visual impairments, the examination is performed with glasses (contact lenses).

As a result of passing a medical examination, a certificate is issued, the form of which is set out in Appendix 2 of Order of the Ministry of Health No. 344 n.

The document must indicate:

• full name of the medical institution that issued the certificate. As well as the organization’s address, contact phone number, OGRN code, details of the current license;
• Full name of the person to whom the certificate is issued;
• date of birth of the driver (driver candidate);
• address of permanent registration;
• date of issue of the document;
• directly the medical report resulting from the examination;
• a list of categories of vehicles that, in the opinion of medical specialists, a given person is allowed to drive;
• limitations identified during the examination;
• medical indications for driving a certain type of vehicle;
• Full name and signature of the doctor who issued the medical certificate;
• seal of a medical institution.

Are there any health restrictions?

In accordance with Government Decree No. 1604, persons suffering from the following diseases will not be allowed to drive motor vehicles:

• mental disorders, regardless of the fact that caused the patient’s condition. This can be either the effect of any drugs or the consequences of a disease;
• schizophrenia and other disorders that lead to delusions;
• affective disorders, that is, depression, frequent mood swings, various mental impulses, and so on;
• disorders associated with stressful situations (neurotic or somatoform);
• any personality disorders (transvestism, fetishism, etc.);
• mental disorders that occur as a result of reaching adulthood;
• mental retardation. This medical term covers people of various categories. For example, those who cannot perform elementary addition within 10. And it does not matter at all what exactly caused this state of the human body;
• epilepsy;
• achromatopsia (a person’s inability to distinguish colors – color blindness);
• blindness (in both eyes).

The general list of contraindications is supplemented by restrictions corresponding to individual categories of driver's licenses.

The following persons will not be allowed to drive vehicles of category B (passenger cars):

• whose visual acuity is below 0.6;
• who have undergone surgery on the eye shell (within 1 month after surgery);
• those suffering from chronic diseases of the membranes of the eye, which leads to impaired human vision;
• with a limited viewing angle (more than 20º);
• who are missing both upper limbs;
• suffering from any diseases that are accompanied by disturbances in the functioning of the vestibular apparatus (for example, Maniere's disease).

In addition to contraindications, the Ministry of Health has also developed a list of restrictions, that is, if you have certain diseases, a person can drive a vehicle equipped with additional devices.

Persons who do not have any contraindications, but suffer from the following deviations, are allowed to operate a manually operated vehicle:

• foot deformity (provided that the disease complicates the movement of the foot);
• absence of both lower extremities (hips, legs);
• paraplegia;
• impairment of motor functions of the legs.

Automatic cars can be driven by:

• who are missing upper (no more than 1 arm) or lower limbs;
• there is a deformity in the arms or legs that makes movement difficult;
• more than 2 phalanges are missing on one finger;
• residual effects of damage to the nervous system are observed.

Drivers who have a condition such as blindness in one eye have the right to drive a car equipped with an acoustic parking system.

In case of partial loss of vision or hearing, in cases that are not contraindications, the driver is required to wear glasses or a hearing aid, respectively, when driving a vehicle. This need is indicated in the medical report.

Validity period of the medical certificate

The most popular question remains: how long is a medical certificate for a driver’s license valid after 60 years for a man or woman?

Article 12 of the Order of the Ministry of Health No. 344 and the medical report is valid for 12 months from the date of its receipt. There are no divisions into risk groups, professional drivers, etc.

This means that, having received a medical certificate, a person over 60 years of age does not have to worry about a new document for 1 year.

Thus, any person over 18 years of age can obtain a driving license. To do this, you must obtain a medical certificate of fitness to drive a vehicle, undergo training at a driving school and successfully pass qualifying exams at the State Traffic Inspectorate.

There are no restrictions on the maximum age for driver candidates in the current legislation.

: At age 60, for how long is a motorist’s medical certificate issued?

Attention!

• Due to frequent changes in legislation, information sometimes becomes outdated faster than we can update it on the website.
• All cases are very individual and depend on many factors. Basic information does not guarantee a solution to your specific problems.

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Source: https://avtopravozashita.ru/voditelskoe-udostoverenie/poluchenie/voditelskie-prava-posle-60-let.html

Is there a unified database of diseases in Russia, and if so, does the traffic police have access to it?

No, there really is no such base. There are, of course, various internal databases of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. But neither the traffic police, nor the prosecutor’s office, nor any other organization have access to them. To obtain any information about the disease of a particular person, various government agencies must make a corresponding request to the Ministry of Health. Thus, the traffic police cannot directly find out whether the driver has diseases that prevent him from driving a vehicle.

Why haven’t the traffic police and other structures in Russia yet opened a database in which it would be possible to check any driver’s contraindications to driving? It's all about medical confidentiality. According to the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, information about diseases in a database available to various organizations can harm citizens if such information gets to unscrupulous people. That is, the Ministry of Health protects the confidentiality of patients in order to protect Russian citizens from attacks by scammers and unscrupulous people.

Although, as the traffic police recently stated, they do not need complete information about the diseases of drivers. Information about the presence of contraindications to driving will be sufficient. Simply put, there are restrictions or not. According to the traffic police, if we gain access to such a database in the country, it will be possible in a short period of time to restrict the driver’s licenses of a huge number of drivers who currently pose a danger on the road. This is especially true for drivers who are registered with a narcologist and a psychiatrist.