DMV TARGETS UNFIT DRIVERS

The state program cracks down on those with any impairment, and will
revoke or suspend licenses.

Got a problem driving? Maybe you black out sometimes or experience a
seizure? Perhaps you have lost consciousness recently from hitting
your head on the ski slopes or after one too many glasses of Cabernet?
The folks at the California Department of Motor Vehicles would like to
know. And maybe they already do.

The state has one of the most rigorous programs in the country to
identify and examine drivers who might be unfit to be behind the
wheel. California tries to apply the same standards to sober drivers
that are commonly applied only to drunk drivers in the vast majority
of other states.

So if you are impaired for any reason -- whether it's because of old
age, disease, drinking or too much medical marijuana -- you could be
subject to a special examination by the Office of Driver Safety.

The DMV program hardly ranks as some kind of minor, backroom activity.
The program makes about 186,000 contacts a year with drivers, most of
whom end up with suspended or revoked licenses.

Last week, the DMV's special examination division had 1,300 cases in
Los Angeles County alone that involved drivers affected by physical or
mental problems, said Sergio Perez, one of the agency's regional
chiefs for special examinations in Southern California.

Licenses are suspended or revoked in California for many reasons,
including alcohol-related driving arrests, excessive numbers of
tickets, lack of insurance and even cheating on driving tests.

About 125,000 drivers a year are arrested in California on suspicion
of driving under the influence, and under state law they face both
criminal charges in state court and an administrative license
suspension by the DMV. If they are acquitted in court, the agency will
drop the license suspension.

But in cases of a guilty plea, or even a dismissal of criminal
charges, the DMV still moves ahead with a suspension -- typically for
30 days for a first-time offender if the driver submits to an alcohol
treatment program. About 38,000 drivers a year appeal their
drunk-driving arrests, most of them unsuccessfully.

The DMV's scrutiny reaches well past driving under the influence.
Under state law, doctors must report to the local county health
department any case in which a person loses consciousness. Doctors
also are required to notify the agency if they consider a person unfit
to drive for any health reason, such as Alzheimer's disease, other
cognitive disorders, physical ailments and drug addictions.

The county health department then forwards such reports to the DMV.
Doctors are not the only source of tips about potentially dangerous
drivers. Police, DMV employees and even family members often report
individuals they believe should be subject to special
examinations.

"If somebody comes into a DMV office and they are shaking or having
difficulty understanding us, we refer them to a hearing," said DMV
Director Steven Gourley.

In some cases, the DMV automatically suspends a license and notifies a
driver by mail. In other cases, the agency schedules special reviews
that call for written and driving tests and a vision examination. The
driving test typically involves an intensive, 45-minute stint behind
the wheel, compared with the 15-minute test typically given to
first-time applicants.

If you happened to bump your head and black out, DMV probably would
not pursue the case. But if you had three seizures in a year, for
example, the agency would suspend your license. In some cases, the
agency examines individual health records and considers doctors'
statements before deciding whether to revoke a license.

Under the agency's rules, drivers whose licenses are suspended for any
reason can ask for a hearing. In 2001, more than 70,000 drivers asked
for formal proceedings before special DMV administrative hearing
officers. In the hearings, drivers can be represented by attorneys.

In 2001, drivers filed 10,000 appeals of license revocations and
suspensions involving mental and physical problems.

The DMV also operates an anonymous program for family members who
believe that their kin should be taken off the road.

"It involves family members where the 60-year-old son or daughter is
worried about the 90-year-old parent," the DMV's Perez said. "If we
think there is valid information, we pursue it. We play it safe."