How the California DMV investigates medical license suspensions – The Mercury News
Question: Christina Miller of Riverside wrote to On the Road last month about her mysterious and troubling experience with the Department of Motor Vehicles regarding her three-week license suspension and reinstatement after being hospitalized for vision problems.
Miller said her ordeal included unnecessary visits to the Riverside DMV office, multiple phone calls, forms to submit and more eye exams. It was difficult to navigate the system, he said. (Miller never found out how it was reported; it wasn’t one of his doctors and he suspects there may have been a mix-up.)
“Nobody told me this was reported to the DMV, I didn’t know, I’ve never heard of such a thing. Maybe you could put that information in your column sometime,” Miller suggested.
A: We are happy to share information as a public service about what happens when someone is reported to the DMV as a suspected unsafe driver. DMV spokesperson Ronald Ongtoaboc provided general information upon our request.
When the DMV receives a report, such as a Request for Driver Reexamination (form DS 699), that a driver has a physical or mental disability, illness, vision problem or disorder that may affect his or her ability to drive safely, the DMV will conduct an immediate investigation under section 13800 of the Vehicle Code.
There is no law that mandates the DMV to automatically suspend a driver’s license when it receives these reports, Ongtoaboc said. Details about the retest process are on the DMV website here.
Based on the results of its investigation, the DMV may immediately suspend the driver’s license, if necessary, for the safety of the driver and others on the road. If there is insufficient information, or a temporary suspension is justified, the driver may be required to submit to additional tests. Retesting may include requiring the driver to submit a Vision Test Report (form DL 62) to provide additional information about their condition, including whether a doctor recommends driving, testifying about their condition, or a behind-the-wheel test, to provide the DMV with enough information to determine whether the condition affects safe driving.
The DL 62 form can be emailed to DMVLADDSAPS@dmv.ca.gov or returned by mail or fax to one of these offices:
• Sacramento Office of Driver Safety: Fax to 916-227-2901 or mail to 4700 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95820;
• Fresno Office of Driver Safety: Fax to 559-445-6396. Mail is not received at this office;
• El Segundo Driver Safety Office: Fax to 310-615-3581 or mail to 390 N. Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 2075, El Segundo, CA 90245.
The DMV reviews the DL 62 form within 15 business days of receiving it. Then, the driver’s license may be reinstated, or the driver may be scheduled for a driving test or Supplemental Driving Performance Evaluation to determine if their vision condition impairs their ability to drive or if the driver can compensate for the vision condition.
If the DMV determines that the vision condition can improve and/or the examiner believes that driving skills can improve with additional training, restrictions allowing for additional training may be imposed. The driver may be issued with a restricted license or permit order. However, if the examiner feels that the driver has acted so badly that it is unsafe to drive, the DMV can revoke the license. The driver may request a hearing to challenge the revocation, Ongtoaboc said.
The timeline for the entire recovery process varies, depending on the circumstances, he said.
