Is a Physical Examination Required for a Driver's License?
2 Answers
Obtaining a driver's license requires a physical examination. The examination primarily includes checks for vision, height, color blindness, hearing, as well as the upper limbs, lower limbs, torso, and feet to identify any abnormalities. The physical examination items for a driver's license include: 1. Height: Applicants for large passenger vehicles, tractors, city buses, large trucks, and trolleybuses must be at least 155 cm tall. Applicants for medium-sized passenger vehicles must be at least 150 cm tall. 2. Color Vision: Applicants must not have red-green color blindness. If they do, they are immediately disqualified, and other tests are unnecessary because recognizing traffic lights is essential on the road. 3. Hearing: Applicants must be able to hear a tuning fork from 50 cm away and distinguish the direction of the sound source. Failure to do so results in disqualification. 4. Vision: Applicants for large passenger vehicles, tractors, city buses, medium-sized passenger vehicles, large trucks, trolleybuses, or trams must have uncorrected or corrected visual acuity of at least 5.0 on the logarithmic visual acuity chart. For other vehicle types, uncorrected or corrected visual acuity must be at least 4.9 on the logarithmic visual acuity chart.
I just got my driver's license not long ago, and a physical examination is indeed mandatory. The first step when enrolling in a driving school is to schedule a physical exam. At the designated hospital, I had to read the eye chart to check distant vision—I could only see the last line clearly with my glasses on. There was also a color vision test where I had to distinguish red and green cards to ensure I wouldn't mistake traffic light colors. Additionally, a hearing test was conducted in a soundproof room where I listened to various sounds. Blood pressure and an ECG were also briefly checked. Only after passing the exam did I receive the report, which I then submitted to the driving school before they accepted me and began training. If your vision doesn’t meet the standard, you’ll need glasses and a re-examination. This rule makes sense because poor eyesight while driving increases the risk of hitting pedestrians or missing road signs, and hearing loss could mean missing alarms—both dangerous. A color-blind friend of mine almost failed but passed after correction. The exam took half a day and cost little, but it ensures greater safety. In short, no exam means no test—it’s a basic requirement. Only with a fit body can you touch the steering wheel and learn to drive. Looking back, this is the most fundamental safety screening to prevent unqualified drivers from hitting the road.
