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Charlotte Haye 18th April 2019

HGV Driver Medical Exams – How Fit Do I Need To Be?

In the past, we’ve talked a lot about all the hoops you need to drive through to become a certified HGV driver and get your Driver CPC and Cat licences. One of the things we always mention is the medical exam, which is a standard part of the Driver CPC qualification. Essentially, you require a doctors sign-off saying you’re completely fit and able to be a HGV driver. But what does that actually mean? Today we want to share with you what they look for in the HGV driver medical training, and what standards you need to meet.

Eyesight

Your eyesight is crucial to your success as an HGV driver – it’s your single most valuable tool, so it needs to be up to standard. The guidelines on what is acceptable eyesight is actually quite clear – all HGV drivers must be able to read a number plate from a distance of 20 yards. This is with or without glasses or contact lenses – which is good news for those of us with a small sight defect. However, if you do need glasses, your prescription can’t be higher than +8, and your field of vision needs to be higher than 160 degrees. If it’s not, then you might not be cleared to drive. Along with that, if you suffer from double vision, you won’t be allowed to become an HGV driver at all – even if it’s treated with a patch. It’s too much of a safety risk, and could put you and other road users in danger. If you’re not sure of your visual health, you can always go and speak to your local optician.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is something that affects 1 in 26 people in the world – but that doesn’t mean that 1 in 26 people can’t be HGV drivers. Just like a standard driving licence, you will only be allowed to drive if you have had at least 5 years without a seizure or episode, and if you’ve had those 5 years without using any medication to control it. Whether you’re experiencing minor auras or full seizures, epilepsy is a severe illness that makes it impossible for you to drive professionally, or at all.

Heart Problems

Any kind of heart issue that’s not being treated is going to look bad on an HGV medical exam. That’s anything from angina, strokes, previous heart attacks or even blackouts. If your condition is being treated, then medical notes from your doctor will need to accompany your report. The HGV driver rules also state that you can’t drive within 3 months of having heart bypass surgery, or within 12 months of a stroke or unexplained period of unconsciousness.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a very common illness, and affects around 9.5% of the population, so it’s not something that’s going to stop you becoming an HGV driver. All you have to do is demonstrate that you can keep it under control. This usually means you will need to record twice-daily glucose testing, and in if you have insulin-treated diabetes you’ll need your most recent 3 months of glucose readings stored on a personal meter, ready to produce on request.

Brain Issues

Issues with the brain are always cause for concern, particularly if you’ve had a nasty accident. If you’ve had any sort of brain surgery or brain injury, it’s highly unlikely you’ll ever be able to drive again on a normal licence, let alone a HGV license. This is mainly because the chances of cognitive impairment are fairly high, and you need to be in full control of your faculties when you’re behind the wheel. Of course, each case is unique, but in most cases any kind of brain trauma, injury or surgery will rule you out at the medical stage.

Sleep Disorders

Another area the medical exam will look at is any history of sleep disorders. It’s widely known that sleeplessness and drowsiness is a major killer on our roads, so anything that could cause drowsiness is considered a problem for a potential HGV driver. Sleep apnoea, narcolepsy or medications for other conditions that can cause drowsiness will all raise a red flag. This doesn’t always mean you’ll fail the medical – it just means they need to be looked at in more detail.

The medical exam for HGV drivers will look at many other things, but these are some of the major categories that our drivers worry about before they go into the medical. The important thing to remember is this – none of these things, or any other condition, mean that you have an automatic ban on driving HGV’s. It simply means that you need to fall within a set of rules designed to keep drivers, other road users and cargo safe. You don’t have to be in peak physical condition – just reasonably healthy and safe behind the wheel. To find out more about what the medical exams entail, just get in touch with the team today.