How California DMV investigates medical suspensions of a driver’s license

Q: Christina Miller of Riverside wrote to On the Road last month about her mysterious and frustrating experience with the Department of Motor Vehicles regarding her three-week license suspension and reinstatement following a hospitalization for a vision problem.

Miller said her ordeal included an unnecessary visit to the Riverside DMV office, multiple phone calls, forms to submit and another eye test. It was difficult to navigate the process, she said. (Miller never found out how she was reported; it wasn’t any of her doctors and she suspects there may have been a name mix-up.)

“Nobody told me that this was reported to the DMV, I had no idea, never even heard of such a thing. Maybe you could put that kind of information in your column some time,” Miller suggested.

A: We are happy to share information as a public service about what happens when someone is reported to the DMV as an alleged unsafe driver. DMV spokesperson Ronald Ongtoaboc provided some general information at our request.

When the DMV receives a report, like a Request for Driver Reexamination (form DS 699), that a driver has a physical or mental disability, illness, vision problem or disorder that could affect their ability to drive safely, the DMV will immediately conduct an investigation under Vehicle Code section 13800.

There’s no law that authorizes the DMV to automatically suspend a driver’s license when it receives these reports, Ongtoaboc said. Details about the reexamination 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’s insufficient information, or a suspension isn’t justified, the driver may have to submit to further examination. The reexamination may include requiring the driver to submit a Report of Vision Examination (form DL 62) to give more detail regarding their condition, including whether the doctor recommends against driving, testify regarding their condition, or take a behind-the-wheel test, to provide the DMV with sufficient 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 the following offices:

• Sacramento Driver Safety Office: Fax to 916-227-2901 or mail to 4700 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95820;

• Fresno Driver Safety Office: 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 whether the driver can compensate for the vision condition.

If the DMV determines the vision condition could improve and/or the examiner believes driving skills could improve with more training, restrictions that allow for additional training may be imposed. The driver may be issued a restricted license or instruction permit. However, if the examiner feels the driver performed so poorly and is unsafe to drive, the DMV can revoke the license. The driver may request a hearing to contest the revocation, Ongtoaboc said.

The timeline of the entire reinstatement process varies, depending on circumstances, he said.