(a) General rule.--The department, having cause to believe that a licensed driver or applicant may not be physically or mentally qualified to be licensed, may require the applicant or driver to undergo one or more of the examinations authorized under this subchapter in order to determine the competency of the person to drive. The department may require the person to be examined by a physician, a certified registered nurse practitioner, a physician assistant or a licensed psychologist designated by the department or may require the person to undergo an examination by a physician, a certified registered nurse practitioner, a physician assistant or a licensed psychologist of the person's choice. If the department designates the physician, a certified registered nurse practitioner, a physician assistant or licensed psychologist, the licensed driver or applicant may, in addition, cause a written report to be forwarded to the department by a physician, a certified registered nurse practitioner, a physician assistant or a licensed psychologist of the driver's or applicant's choice. Vision qualifications may be determined by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. The department shall appoint one or more qualified persons who shall consider all medical reports and testimony in order to determine the competency of the driver or the applicant to drive.

(b) Confidentiality of reports and evidence.--Reports received by the department for the purpose of assisting the department in determining whether a person is qualified to be licensed and reports of examinations authorized under this subchapter are for the confidential use of the department and may not be divulged to any person or used as evidence in any trial except that the reports and statistics and evaluations used by the department in determining whether a person should be required to be examined under this subchapter shall be admitted in proceedings under section 1550 (relating to judicial review).

(c) Recall or suspension of operating privilege.--The department shall recall the operating privilege of any person whose incompetency has been established under the provisions of this chapter. The recall shall be for an indefinite period until satisfactory evidence is presented to the department in accordance with regulations to establish that such person is competent to drive a motor vehicle. The department shall suspend the operating privilege of any person who refuses or fails to comply with the requirements of this section until that person does comply and that person's competency to drive is established. Any person aggrieved by recall or suspension of the operating privilege may appeal in the manner provided in section 1550. The judicial review shall be limited to whether the person is competent to drive in accordance with the provisions of the regulations promulgated under section 1517 (relating to Medical Advisory Board).

(Apr. 28, 1978, P.L.202, No.53, eff. 60 days; Oct. 7, 1996, P.L.688, No.118, eff. 9 months; July 15, 2004, P.L.698, No.76, eff. 60 days)

2004 Amendment. Section 2 of Act 76 provided that any regulations of the Department of Transportation that are inconsistent with Act 76 are hereby abrogated to the extent of that inconsistency.

1996 Amendment. Section 2 of Act 118 provided that the Department of Transportation shall publish in the Pennsylvania Bulletin guidelines for determining cause to initiate any of the examinations under subsec. (a). The notice of guidelines for determining cause to initiate examinations was published September 6, 1997, at 27 Pa.B. 4559.

Cross References. Section 1519 is referred to in sections 1518, 1550 of this title.