Meningioma and driving license
Regulatory text here:
Under the terms of article R. 412-6 of the Highway Code, "any vehicle driver must be constantly in state and in a position to execute conveniently and without delay all the maneuvers which incumbent on him".
It is therefore up to the driver to estimate if he is able to drive vehicles in this category. A driver responsible for an accident due to an undeclared medical condition incompatible with driving is not covered by his insurance. The insurer will compensate the victims, but will have the right to claim the driver with the reimbursement of at least part of these allowances.
What to do for driving, after a meningioma operation?
Many people do not know it or ignore the law concerning the invalidation of driving license for health reasons. Indeed, a decree dating from December 21, 2005, modified on August 31, 2010 and again modified on December 18, 2015 fixes the list of diseases incompatible with obtaining or maintaining the driving license or which can give rise to the delivery of driving license with limited validity duration.
In this list are epilepsy, stroke but also the deficiencies of the visual field. But more generally, all people brainless are affected by this directive. And even if you are still in possession of your license, you find yourself in a door to your insurance and you may not be covered by it in the event of an accident, responsible or not.
It is however possible, after brain surgery, to revalidate your driving license under certain conditions. I will try, in the following paragraphs, to list the different stages and essential exams to revalidate, temporarily and then definitively, its permit.
Prior examinations
First of all, you have to bring your medical file regarding brain surgery or stroke and contact a center specializing in supporting cerebroly people and rehabilitation to driving, such as the Center Coubert Ugecam which is in Seine and Marne.
In this center, a certain number of tests and examinations will have to be taken, such as a binocular visual field in the Goldmann, several psycho-technical tests (reflexes, gripping and force tests (upper and lower limbs), motor skills (normal walking, on the tips of the feet and on the heels), balance tests, etc.
It will also be necessary to pass an interview with a neuropsychologist to verify visual and hearing memory, and to also check the cohesion of the answers given to certain questions.
Depending on the consequences following the operation or the disease, there may be a driving test in real conditions, with a driving school instructor next to it and an occupational therapist at the back of the vehicle. Unlike other tests and exams, it is not supported by social security and generally costs around € 220.
At the end of all these "tests", the doctor who follows you will send you (or not so failure to tests) a medical certificate attesting to the patient's ability to resume driving with or without vehicle arrangements (car gear, ball on a steering wheel to provide help to maneuvers, etc.).
Administrative procedures
This is where the more serious things begins and that the "no" can happen; procedures with the prefecture of his department. You have to make an appointment, on the prefecture's website, with the doctors of the driving license commission to pass a medical examination.
For this interview, bring the summons, the Cerfa 14880*02 form ( see on this page ), the medical certificate of the rehabilitation center and all the documents that can attest to the improvement of the patient's health (Brain MRI and reports of control visits with the neurosurgeon, if this is positive), and of course his old license to drive in the case where. Do not hesitate, if this is the case, to make your doctor do a certificate mentioning the stop of your anti-epileptic treatment. Generally, when this medication persists over time, doctors become cautious to give their agreement.
The visit lasts an average of 10 to 15 minutes, and costs twice € 25.00 (since 2 doctors) not reimbursed and the result is given at the end of the interview. A medical visit receipt is given, stamped and signed by the two doctors, with the mention of permit renewal for a more or less long period (never more than three years for the first request) and a booklet explaining the steps to follow to make a driving license request with validation notices and buttory dates for or revalidate them.
These are the steps to be taken to access the Grail. It is very long and it is important not to be discouraged.
Here is such a long duration?
Simply because the deadlines to get meetings often are very long, and some doctors drag their feet a little about sending the results. Oddly, the stage that takes the least time is the prefecture step. Make an appointment, by internet, at the end of September and maintenance at the prefecture 15 days later. Application for a permit on the same day of the appointment and receipt of my license, at home, 2 weeks later.
A question was asked by Ms. La Louwagie deputy on the conditions of resumption of driving after a problem in the brain on 01/17/2019 at the request of Amavea
Qst-An-15-25336qe Androcur
Véronique Louwagie draws the attention of the Minister of the Interior to the compulsory medical examination before resuming a vehicle driving following certain health problems. Indeed, there is a list of medical situations (epilepsy, stroke, vision disorders, diabetes, etc.) requiring a medical visit to a doctor approved by the prefecture of the department in which the person who has encountered a health problem. This visit must be carried out before resuming the driving of a vehicle in order to assess the
physical capacities to be driven but also the cognitive and sensory aptitudes of the driver. However, many people are not informed of the obligation of this approach. However, it appears that, according to French law, by failing to present itself to a medical check -up imposed by its state of health, deemed incompatible with the maintenance of the right to drive, the driver is exposed to a sentence of two years' imprisonment as well as a fine of 4,500 euros. In addition, in the event of an accident in connection with a disorder considered incompatible with
driving, the harm in wrong will not be taken care of by his insurance, even if he had taken out "all -risk" insurance. Also, she would like to know the government's opinion on this issue and what measures could be implemented in order to inform those interested in the obligation of a medical check -up concerning certain medical problems, and relating to the resumption of the driving of a vehicle.
Answer published at OJ Le: 07/07/2020 Page: 4773
Article 1 of the decree of July 31, 2012 relating to the organization of medical control of the conduct of driving has, in application of article R. 226-1 of the Highway Code, that the holders of the driving license with a medical condition are subject to the medical control of the conduct .
The list of medical conditions incompatible with obtaining or maintaining the driving license or which may give rise to the delivery of driving license with limited validity duration is fixed by the decree of December 21, 2005.
Health professionals ensuring medical follow -up of a person with a medical condition must alert him to the dangers of returning to the wheel . The doctor must explain to his patient the consequences of his pathology on driving and inform him of his obligation to appear before a doctor approved for the driving license .
The case law of the Court of Cassation and the Council of State devotes the obligation for the doctor to inform the patient of the risks linked to his pathology. In the event of lack of information on this subject, the doctor's responsibility could be engaged. The delegation to road safety regularly informs the medical community of this obligation. In addition, the driving license holder was informed, during his preparation for the driving license exam, that he is obliged to report any pathology occurring after the issuance of his driving license.
The decree of April 20, 2012 fixing the conditions of establishment, issuance and validity of the driving license provides that the written eligibility test relates in particular to vigilance and attitudes with regard to other road users, and the modification of the behavior of the driver linked to the effects of drugs.
The site of the Delegation for Road Safety completes this information by specifying the regulations.
Opinion of Pr Pallud, neurosurgeon, on the resumption of driving:
When you have had an epilepsy crisis related to meningioma, you have an epileptic disease, and you no longer have the right to drive until the treatment of the cause and after a long enough duration without epilepsy crisis to conclude that epilepsy is cured. This sufficiently long duration is not codified, the duration of 6 months is often accepted as minimal.
The doctor who judges is not the patient's doctor, nor the neurosurgeon, but the doctor approved by the prefecture. It must therefore be shown to him that
- The disease is perfectly treated
- Remote from the operation, there is no more meningioma (the surgical procedure that can create passenger disorders)
- There are no more epilepsy attacks
You shouldn't go there before 6 months.
If you take the car and have an accident, responsible or not (and even if no one told you that you were not allowed), insurers, seeing that you have a meningioma, can judge you responsible. Common sense and responsibility of each.
Useful site with multiple information:
https://www.securite-routiere.gouv.fr/REGLEMATION-LIEE-LUSAGER/REGLEMATION-LIEE-AU-HAndicap
You can read there:
Driving
In the event of alteration of behavior linked to a psychiatric, neurological or psychological disorder, talk to your doctor. In some cases, the opinion of an approved doctor will be recommended and a certificate of temporary or permanent aptitude may be issued.
Visual disability
If health problems affect visual acuity, visual field, twilight vision, sensitivity to dazzling and contrasts as well as on other visual functions, driving safety can be compromised. There is also a minimum visual acuity threshold required to drive a vehicle. A control visit to a healthcare professional will assess visual acuity.
Driving
Depending on the nature of the alteration, the doctor may issue a temporary aptitude whose validity may be renewed; or a limited authorization. For example, in the case of an absence of night vision, driving at night will be prohibited.
Incompatibility with driving
Sometimes alteration makes driving impossible. For example, if visual acuity is less than 5/10, vision is not compatible with driving. On the other hand, if one of the two eyes has an acuity less than 1/10, and the other eye has an acuity greater than or equal to 5/10, the vision is compatible, provided you equip itself with bilateral mirrors.
Psychiatric pathologies, psychological and neurological disorders, addictive practices
Driving
In the event of alteration of behavior linked to a psychiatric, neurological or psychological disorder, talk to your doctor. In some cases, the opinion of an approved doctor will be recommended and a certificate of temporary or permanent aptitude may be issued.
On the new permits, there is a code by handicap which simplifies the care by the emergency services for care if necessary.
During the medical examination, you must present yourself with the CERFA 14880*02 (which you can download or pick up at the town hall). The consultation is our responsibility. In the event of a driving test, it takes around 220 euros depending on the driving schools which also practice it.
The list of approved doctors is available on the prefecture of our domiciliation prefecture.
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