Monocular Driving? Is It Allowed

[Rumesh88]

  On 10/14/2013 at 2:25 AM, Kavvz said:

As apparently after some instruction you can adapt: I guess you have a point.

IMO you cannot find a better example of a person with monocular vision who achieved greater heights in life than the former test cricket captain of India, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi who lost the vision of one his eyes just 6 months before his Test debut. He played for India for almost 15 years with one eye and still hold the record for being their youngest Test captain. So is monocular vision a such impediment to prevent someone from driving?

[luckey007]

All driving licences with a chip has a renewal date. And now they are issuing them.Still we can see old DLs but eventually they will sweep away. Bcos when you have damaged or faded your old one you will receive a new one with a renewal date. Doctors are not examining properly like things are human problems, but with the new system can track the negligent crook also if something happened and if they wish or if court orders. So lets hope :action-smiley-015:

Edited October 14, 2013 by luckey007

[Sri-Lak]

I know from a first hand experience that monocular driving is allowed in Germany, a country with most strict rules and regulations. This is true for the whole European Union and applies to the US and and Canada too I believe.

As the previous posters mentioned it is just a matter of adaption I think. I know of a friend who was very good at sports like Cricket and Table Tennis but was blind in one eye by birth. He played for the junior cricket team of one of the leading schools in Colombo too.

Just my 2 cents

[CJ5]

  On 10/13/2013 at 7:10 AM, Kavvz said:

Easy old boy, don't shoot the messenger.

As for statutes and corresponding rulings: Well, who knows what wacko laws those suddha buggers have and how they interpret them? I can however, provide you with the links I used to base my google call on; and you too can make an informed decision (or not, its all good).

Anyways, as for what the google Gods so bountifully provided see below:

1. For Canada: http://www.ccmta.ca/english/pdf/medical_standards_aug_2011.pdf
2. For the US: Each state has a different site for the guidelines. See the one for Wisconsin here and for California here. I'll leave it to you to google the rest.
3. And just for you a special bonus-The UK: https://www.gov.uk/monocular-vision-and-driving

Thank you for the links.

However none of the above permits an individual with total loss of sight in one eye to become eligible to hold a drivers license. They all explain the standards required in eye sight to be eligible to hold a license and according those standards vision is required in both eyes eventhough deteriorated vision in one eye is not a disqualification if the vision in the other eye is of a higher standard. What can be gathered is that total loss of sight in one eye would amount to a disqualification to hold a drivers license and severely deteriorated sight in one eye will also be a disqualification unless certain other tests and standards are met.

Monocular vision is specifically mentioned only in No.3 and per se such a person found driving even faces a hefty penalty as well if the DVLA is not aware of it!!! In the information in link 3 it states the candidate "may be eligible" depending on fulfilling various other conditions and tests and is not a "will be eligible" to drive with only one eye. Chances are no license will be issued even in No.3 in the event of total blindness in one eye.

[CJ5]

  On 10/14/2013 at 7:40 AM, Sri-Lak said:

I know from a first hand experience that monocular driving is allowed in Germany, a country with most strict rules and regulations. This is true for the whole European Union and applies to the US and and Canada too I believe.

As the previous posters mentioned it is just a matter of adaption I think. I know of a friend who was very good at sports like Cricket and Table Tennis but was blind in one eye by birth. He played for the junior cricket team of one of the leading schools in Colombo too.

Just my 2 cents

I suggest that you read this before enlightening this forum with your "2 cents" and "first hand experience" of monocular driving being allowed in Germany and the whole EU.

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/pdf/behavior/new_standards_final_version_en.pdf

Does anyone need a "license" to play cricket and table tennis?????? The discussion is on monocular vision and whether or not such a person is legally entitled and eligible to hold a drivers license and drive a vehicle on a highway.

[Sri-Lak]

  On 10/14/2013 at 1:12 PM, CJ5 said:

I suggest that you read this before enlightening this forum with your "2 cents" and "first hand experience" of monocular driving being allowed in Germany and the whole EU.

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/pdf/behavior/new_standards_final_version_en.pdf

Does anyone need a "license" to play cricket and table tennis?????? The discussion is on monocular vision and whether or not such a person is legally entitled and eligible to hold a drivers license and drive a vehicle on a highway.

Hello there,

When I said 'first hand experience' I meant it.

I have a close friend of mine who is practically blind (cannot read a single character on the test chart) with one eye. He was able to obtain his driving license without any issue here in Germany. Needless to say he had to go through additional examination than regular to prove that the good eye can compensate.

In the process he got to know many others in the same situation and he shared the news with me. So this is not an isolated incidence either.

Therefore this is a real life concrete fact! No amount of your google searches can disprove it!

Example of cricket was to stress the human body's ability to adapt to the nature's demands as several others too did on this same thread, which apparently you fail to comprehend.

But I know this is my personal experience and others might not find it so useful. Hence '2 cents'.

But it seems your google searches are worth 2 millions to you.

I don't want to argue about my '2 cents' .

I am sure you will find somebody else to argue with about your '2 million-worth' google searches.

.

[Kavvz]

  CJ5 said:

Thank you for the links.

You're welcome.

  CJ5 said:

However none of the above permits an individual with total loss of sight in one eye to become eligible to hold a drivers license. They all explain the standards required in eye sight to be eligible to hold a license and according those standards vision is required in both eyes even though deteriorated vision in one eye is not a disqualification if the vision in the other eye is of a higher standard.

I believe otherwise; as if you read through the links you'll see that not having sight in one eye is not a disqualification as long as the vision in the other eye is to the minimum standards listed. Having vision in both eyes is not an implicit or explicit requirement for Canada, England, Wisconsin and California (its the same I think for most States in the US; but for sake of brevity lets just stick to the States we've got links for).

If you will permit me to take Canada as an example: In Canada the vision standards for safe driving are as per " the Canadian Ophthalmological Society’s expert working group on driving and vision standards". The recommendations published by that group are linked here.

On that guideline / recommendation sheet it does not state implicitly or explicitly that monocular vision is a requirement. However it does list a couple of minimum vision requirements that an applicant should meet in order to be eligible to obtain a driver's license.

To further support my argument listed above, I'd like to draw your attention to page 47, section 11.3.3 that outlines depth perception where the guideline states that; "A driver who has recently lost sight in an eye or lost the use of stereopsis may require a few months to recover the ability to judge distance accurately". Implicitly, one is therefore able to conclude that after the ability to judge distance accurately is recovered, and the other vision stipulations are met; a driver / applicant with monocular vision may obtain a drivers licence in Canada.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Kavvz

[Rumesh88]

  On 10/14/2013 at 1:12 PM, CJ5 said:

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/pdf/behavior/new_standards_final_version_en.pdf

CJ5 Forgive me for my ignorance but I do not understand how the contents in above link stand to contradict Sri-Lak's point?

[tiv]

A late addition

http://www.cosl.lk/pdf/Vision_standards_Driving_license_Sri_Lanka.pdf

[Davy]

  On 4/10/2015 at 4:40 AM, tiv said:

A late addition

http://www.cosl.lk/pdf/Vision_standards_Driving_license_Sri_Lanka.pdf

Thanks for the update. Just forwarded the link to my friend (he is still hesitating and I hope this link will give him some confidence about applying).

[The Don]

Funny how colour blindness is not an issue, while that prevents you from getting a driving license in the UK...

[Magnum]

What we need most is an IQ test on our drivers! Most of them are dumb as a donkey!

[Pasan Kavinga]

Hi,

Yes monocular vision driving is allowed in sri lanka under some conditions.(I'm a guy with monocular vision and got the licence [through the legal process]). 
They allow to drive a car(should be registered under your name) with additional side mirrors.Licence should be renew in two years period and they are printing the vehicle no on the backside of the driver's licence.Hope this helps cheers!!!

[Daradakumbura]

http://www.cosl.lk/pdf/vision-standards-for-driving-license-in-sri-lanka-revised-version-19-01-2018.pdf

Vist this link and download the pdf. And you will find the answers to all your questions about Vision standards for Driving license in Sri Lanka. Thank you

[RaviH]

People who have obtained driving licence prior to 2009 (black & white) do not need to renew same. But if you lose it, then you'll have apply for a new one which is renewable. Driving licences issued after 2009 are usually valid for 8 years. Which means after 8 years the person has to undergo a medical test conducted by National Transport Medical Institute to renew the licence. 

As far as I know, for people who have monocular vision, they can obtain licence only for light motor vehicles (specific vehicle owned by the applicant/registered to applicant's name) with modifications such as additional mirrors etc. which is renewable every 2 years. 

[CBA]

  On 12/27/2017 at 9:37 AM, Pasan Kavinga said:

Hi,

Yes monocular vision driving is allowed in sri lanka under some conditions.(I'm a guy with monocular vision and got the licence [through the legal process]). 
They allow to drive a car(should be registered under your name) with additional side mirrors.Licence should be renew in two years period and they are printing the vehicle no on the backside of the driver's licence.Hope this helps cheers!!!

Expand  

Do they allow to Motor Bicycle & Three wheeler??? if yes, what are the modification have to do with motor bike ???

Kindly reply

[CBA]

  On 11/21/2019 at 10:45 AM, RaviH said:

People who have obtained driving licence prior to 2009 (black & white) do not need to renew same. But if you lose it, then you'll have apply for a new one which is renewable. Driving licences issued after 2009 are usually valid for 8 years. Which means after 8 years the person has to undergo a medical test conducted by National Transport Medical Institute to renew the licence. 

As far as I know, for people who have monocular vision, they can obtain licence only for light motor vehicles (specific vehicle owned by the applicant/registered to applicant's name) with modifications such as additional mirrors etc. which is renewable every 2 years. 

Expand  

Do they allow to Motor Bicycle & Three wheeler??? if yes, what are the modification have to do with motor bike ???

Kindly reply

[RaviH]

  On 6/17/2020 at 11:03 AM, CBA said:

Do they allow to Motor Bicycle & Three wheeler??? if yes, what are the modification have to do with motor bike ???

Kindly reply

Expand  

No mate. They don't give license for Motor Bikes & Three wheelers under Monocular vision category. Only for light vehicles for personal use with two additional mirrors fitted on the bonnet.

[CBA]

  On 6/19/2020 at 4:39 AM, RaviH said:

No mate. They don't give license for Motor Bikes & Three wheelers under Monocular vision category. Only for light vehicles for personal use with two additional mirrors fitted on the bonnet.

Expand  

Dear RaviH,

Highly appreciated for your given Information. 

Kindly let me know about the criteria of fitted additional mirror in the bonnet.. ( Length of Bonnet, Size of Mirror etc.)

Are there any conditional to showed disable badge or sticker on the windscreen or vehicle.

 

[RaviH]

  On 6/22/2020 at 6:41 AM, CBA said:

Dear RaviH,

Highly appreciated for your given Information. 

Kindly let me know about the criteria of fitted additional mirror in the bonnet.. ( Length of Bonnet, Size of Mirror etc.)

Are there any conditional to showed disable badge or sticker on the windscreen or vehicle.

 

Expand  

There is no specific size of the mirror. Only suitable mirror available in the market for this purpose is Old Lancer Box mirrors. You can find it in Panchikawatta under Rs. 2500.

As I know there is no specified length of bonnet either. But the examiner ask the model of the vehicle before they recommend the licence under monocular category. So, the vehicle should have a sufficient bonnet length to fit the mirrors. When you sit on the driving seat, you should be able to see the objects through bonnet mirrors up to some extent. (these bonnet mirrors do not provide clear vision scope than the usual side mirrors)

After fitting bonnet mirrors, you'll have to show it to examiner of RMV (either RMV head office or district office), and they will examine the vehicle. (apart from bonnet mirrors, they will check engine number and chassis number of the vehicle).

Inspection report of examiner, medical report, vehicle CR and other relevant documents will be scanned to RMV system. 

No disable badge or sticker pasted on the vehicle and no additional conditions are mentioned in vehicle CR. So, don't worry for that. No one would know you have a monocular driving license, except for people who are aware of the story of additional mirrors.

 

 

[CBA]

Dear RaviH,

Thank you very much for information....

 

[Channa Madawela]

It is allowed with modifications to the vehicle .and you are only allowed to drive that particular vehicle . The vehicle no appears on the license.