These plans are announced by Minister Barry Madlener (Infrastructure and Water Management) to the House of Representatives today.
Minister Madlener: “People with autism, ADD, or ADHD have often indicated that they find the medical examinations disproportionate. I believe that these examinations should not be an unnecessary obstacle for obtaining a drivers license, as driving is a form of freedom that one should not easily take away from people. At the same time, I obviously value traffic safety. With the proposed measures, we keep traffic safe while imposing fewer obligations on individuals.”
In medical examinations for the drivers license, traffic safety is paramount. The ministry does not want to impose stricter requirements on license holders than strictly necessary.
For people with autism, there is insufficient scientific evidence that they cause more accidents or commit more traffic violations than other license holders. Therefore, the medical examination for these individuals will be completely abolished. The aim is to implement this on January 1, 2026; the CBR is currently investigating how this can best be abolished at the ministrys request.
For people with ADD and ADHD, it is noted that they are involved in traffic accidents and violations more than average. At the same time, the ministry sees that currently almost everyone passes the existing examination. This makes the existing examination a time-consuming process, while the effect on traffic safety is unclear. Therefore, the ministry has asked the CBR to investigate how the examinations for people with ADD and ADHD can be adjusted. More information will be available in the autumn of 2025.
Finally, the ministry follows the advice of the Health Council not to require individuals who have had a psychosis to wait 6 months for a medical examination. It should be possible for them to have the examination earlier. The CBR and the ministry will consult on how this plan will be implemented, with an update expected at the end of 2025.