I had a CDL license years ago, and just had to submit a form from my doctor, if I remember correctly. All other licenses only require a vision exam, at the DMV, upon renewal. I’ve lived in a few states, and this is standard practice.
For the driving license only the vision test is required, while for the sports driving license, in addition to the vision test, the hearing test, the cardiac stress test, the color distinction test, and the test of reaction times to sound and visual stimuli are also carried out.
There was an elderly lady whose daughter thought it dangerous for her to be driving and got the state to revoke her license.This is something that pi$$es me off about the whole licensing issue. It begs the question as to what the purpose of a drivers license is and why do they have to be renewed? The stated purpose is to ensure a driver is competent to drive a vehicle on the public roads (no license required to drive a vehicle on private property). It is the state that certifies it is satisfied the driver is qualified to drive. Yet most do nothing after the initial license exam and road test to verify that status. My elderly mother's driving is way less than perfect these days but the state has no issue cashing her check for license renewals. I looked at my resume and I see no line item showing I ever worked for DMV or the state so I do not consider myself to have the proper credentials to officially assess her driving. The state is perfectly happy to put family in the difficult position of having to convince an elderly relative to give up their license or force it to be revoked. Sorry, that is the job of the state, not me, as they are the ones issuing the license and taking the money. State legislatures a loathe to try and implement some kind of mandatory evaluation after a certain age because they are scared Seniors will vote them out of office. So they refuse to take responsibility for something that they should.Frankly, licenses should be good for life with the statement "license valid until suspended or revoked subject to periodic vision and/or health exams".
I would hate for a clerk at the DMV assess my ability - or inability to drive. They aren't trained to determine if you are impaired and if they were, the cost of training and hiring people with those skills would be borne by the rest of us. When you renew your license, the State does a check for outstanding warrants, unpaid fines, registration in other areas, current address, a photo that actually resembles you etc. They also charge non-drivers for an ID card that can be used for the same purposes. If you have an impariment or disability, you are required to notify the DMV - albeit many don't or won't. I doubt that an alcoholic or drug user would admit that on a license application. The purpose of the written and driving test is to ensure you are competent to drive. The license only certifies that and has the dual purpose of being an legal identification. I seriouslly doubt the state makes money on license renewals - the money maker is in the fines they collect.I have no idea if doctors are required to notify the DMV of someone with an impairment that might make them unsafe to drive. When I had ankle surgery the doc wrote on my discharge papers not to drive (I drove anyway) - and after the cast was off and I had normal use of my leg, he noted I was ok to drive. That's a CYA for the doc - but if I were stopped with a cast on my leg, I would be ticketed and fined - possibly get my license suspended. Someone with cogitive decline probably isn't aware enough to stop driving or "turn themselves in". I would not want the state monitoring my ability to drive on a regualr basis - my family, doctors and friends would be more aware of any changes that might impact my ability to drive - don't need Big Brother looking over my shoulder on a continuous basis.