Everything You Should Know About the HGV Medical for Drivers.pdf

Everything You Should Know About the HGV Medical for Drivers

The HGV medical exam is used to determine whether or not a driver is medically fit and safe to operate a heavy goods vehicle. Road safety is vital for all drivers, but due to the size and weight of an HGV, an HGV driver must be able to demonstrate that they are fit to drive the heavy vehicle in order to ensure not just their own safety but the safety of all other road users.

The HGV medical for driver exists because the medical standards required for drivers of vehicles such as lorries, buses, and minibuses are higher than those required for drivers of cars and motorcycles.

An HGV driver must pass the assessment before being awarded their first HGV driver’s license, so let’s take a look at what an HGV medical for driver entails.

What Is the Frequency of The HGV Medical?

The HGV medical is a requirement for anyone who wants to obtain and maintain an HGV driver’s license. You will not be awarded an HGV driver’s license until you have passed your HGV medical.

If you are below the age of 45 years, your HGV medical license won’t expire until you’re 45 years old, after which you will need to re-certify every five years until you reach the age of 65.

Every year after the age of 65 years, you must pass the HGV medical examination. Restricted license holders, as well as license holders whose eligibility to drive HGV vehicles in the UK has expired, must meet extra conditions.

What Should One Expect from Their HGV Medical Examination?

The majority of your HGV medical visit will be spent filling out the DVLA form D4. The gov.UK website has a copy of this medical examination report. This is a regular test, and if you’re in good health and have been truthful in past exams, you shouldn’t be concerned.

The HGV medical examination is divided into three stages.

To begin, you will speak with your doctor about your overall health.

This is an excellent time to mention anything else that comes to mind that might be significant but isn’t covered in the assessment’s later sections. By significant, we mean everything you know about your health that could cause you to lose control while driving. Your medical history will be reviewed as well.

The second part entails that your doctor will then perform the written exam, which includes a visual assessment as the first step. An optician or optometrist may be required to perform this procedure.

This sequence of questions and tests is just to ensure that your eyesight meets the minimum requirements for driving a car on the road. With or without spectacles or contact lenses, all HGV drivers must be able to see a number plate from 20 yards away. If prescriptions are utilized, they must be less than +8, and vision must be at least 160 degrees.

The third phase of the official HGV medical examination covers a number of subcategories, including: Neurological conditions: Any motorist who suffers from a neurological disorder may face serious consequences. Your doctor will review any potential problems you may have, such as epilepsy, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, seizures, memory problems, blackouts, or chronic illnesses like Multiple Sclerosis.

Mental fitness: HGV drivers must be mentally fit. Working situations frequently necessitate a driver being alone for extended periods of time. Doctors can talk about a variety of mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, dementia, and so on.

Heart issues: heart conditions that have already been diagnosed and are being managed through lifestyle and medication should not pose difficulty during an HGV medical examination. However, if any unreported conditions are discovered, there may be cause for concern. There are a few circumstances that could influence the test’s outcome, such as; you can’t drive for three months after heart bypass surgery or 12 months after a stroke or other inexplicable period of unconsciousness.

Diabetes: Having diabetes will not prevent you from operating a heavy-duty vehicle.

It is a widespread ailment that affects nearly 10% of the population. If you do have diabetes, you must be able to demonstrate that it is under control. Your doctor would need to see proof of your daily glucose testing, or if your diabetes is controlled with insulin, your last three months of glucose readings.

Sleep disorders: For HGV drivers, a lack of sleep is a prominent cause of serious accidents. Your doctor will examine you for any signs of sleep issues at your HGV physical. When it comes to sleep, you really do have to be honest — a wellmanaged sleep condition won’t keep you from becoming an HGV driver, but a poorly-managed sleep disorder could end up costing lives.

The information mentioned above should give you a better understanding of what you can expect from an HGV medical exam.

Source :https://foxnewstips.com/everything-you-should-know-about-thehgv-medical-for-drivers/