In Texas, if a person is deemed medically unfit to drive, their driving privileges can be revoked by the Texas Medical Advisory Board. There are general categories of medical issues that can cause an issue related to driving privileges in Texas. If you have received a notice of revocation of your driving privileges due to a medical issue, we highly recommend you consult a lawyer to contest the revocation of your driver license. For more information on how the medical revocation process works in Texas click here. This article will outline the general categories of medical issues only. Again, if you wish to speak to an attorney about your medical advisory board revocation in Texas after reading this article, feel free to contact our office today.
General Debilities
A debility is defined as the general quality of being weak, feeble or infirm. Debility is a consideration used by the Medical Advisory Board (MAB) in Texas to determine if a person’s driving privileges should be revoked. General categories are listed below.
AGING
medical advisory board – aging
The quality of life for the aging can be greatly affected by their mode of transportation. Attempts should be made to preserve for this group the privilege of driving if the danger to themselves and others is no greater than that of the general driving population.
Because the aging process cannot be measured chronologically, the opinion of the treating physician regarding the applicant’s functional capacity cannot be overestimated. This is a responsibility which the treating physician should not neglect. In some cases, it might be feasible to suggest a period of restricted driving before the license is removed. It should be remembered that aging accounts for the most important organic factors contributing to driving problems.
Information to be considered in licensing this group of drivers includes: general weakness; organic brain syndrome causing memory loss; slowed reaction time; confusion or psychoses; musculoskeletal disabilities; and loss of visual acuity and peripheral fields. Requiring comprehensive written and driving tests can produce results which will determine whether a license should be issued and whether it should be restricted. Frequent reevaluations are advisable at yearly intervals or more often if indicated.
PULMONARY DISEASE
Pulmonary Disease – Medical Advisory Board
To be considered are such diseases as emphysema, bronchitis and asthma. In advanced stages any one or a combination of these could produce dyspnea and syncope, thus limiting the applicant’s capacity to drive safely.
Most patients with chronic pulmonary diseases of various etiologies will have no difficulty maintaining their driving privilege. Two pulmonary disorders which deserve special attention are Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Sleep Apnea (discussed elsewhere in this manual).
Those individuals suffering from COPD with dyspnea on exertion or at rest should be evaluated. As a guideline, the oxygen saturation should be measured to determine their oxygen-carrying capacity. Those using supplemental oxygen would also fall into this category.
Evaluation of the driver should take place after optimal medical treatment.
MALIGNANCIES
Malignancies – Medical Advisory Board
Malignancies involving the central nervous system or other vital organ systems, when causing general debility or disturbance of judgment or consciousness, should be a contraindication to the operation of any motor vehicle. The determination should be made on an individual basis with a Comprehensive Driving Test.
CARDIOVASCULAR DIESEASE
Cardiovascular Disease – Medical Advisory Board
The degree of limitation caused by an applicant’s cardiovascular status should be noted utilizing the American Heart Association’s functional and therapeutic classification.
NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS
Neurological Disorder – Medical Advisory Board
Neurologic disorders have a significant impact on driving safety. A partial list would include: cerebrovascular disease, seizures, head injury, Parkinson’s disease, the various dementias, and encephalopathies. The common element in most of these is the disturbance of sensory, motor, cognitive, and/or coordinating functions sufficient to affect driving. Some of these, if stable, can be compatible with ability to operate a motor vehicle if a driving test shows adequate performance in the type of vehicle to be driven.
Epilepsy includes any recurrent loss of consciousness or conscious control arising from intermittent change in the brain function. Other disorders which also can affect consciousness or control, such as syncope, cataplexy, narcolepsy, hypoglycemia, episodic vertigo interfering with function or drop attacks, need to be considered in a similar fashion.
In some neurologic disorders, there may be problems which fall into multiple categories. For example, a head injury may not only result in paralysis, but in visual field loss, impairment of learning and memory, and a seizure disorder. These should be addressed separately by the appropriate categories.
Because of society’s increasing reliance on the automobile, limitations imposed upon the driving privilege of the elderly can significantly limit personal independence. While advancing age itself is not a predictor of individual driving ability, there are many conditions common in the elderly population which renders the older operator more susceptible to vehicular accidents. Included among the age-related diagnoses are stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia, particularly of the Alzheimer’s variety.
