Poll: What Do You Think Of DMV Scrapping Eye-Exams For Most License Renewals?
Change part of effort to expand use of online applications.
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles has changed the way it handles license applications, including a new online application and scrapping eye tests for most license renewals.
"These changes will make it easier for New Yorkers to use the Internet or mail to renew their driver license and conduct a number of other transactions," said DMV Commissioner Barbara J. Fiala. "By allowing customers to conduct some of their DMV transactions at their leisure, we will also decrease the wait times at the DMV offices for those who need to conduct other transactions which require an in-person visit."
By registering for MyDMV through the DMV Web site (www.dmv.ny.gov), customers are able to:
- Change their address
- Receive e-mail reminders when their vehicle registration and inspection are about to expire
- Download and print a copy of their driving record
- Monitor their teens driving behaviors.
As of Wednesday, the license renewal process has been changed to allow drivers to "self-certify" that they meet the vision requirement necessary to drive as they currently do for other medical issues. Fiala said this change will allow motorists to easily renew their licenses on the DMV Web site or by mail.
However, New Yorkers obtaining a driver license for the first time will still be required to take a vision test at a DMV office and commercial driver license holders will still be required to undergo bi-annual medical and vision examination by a medical professional.
Fiala said the current vision testing procedure was instituted in 2000 and requires drivers to read a line on an eye chart located behind the DMV counter. From 1993-2000, vision testing was not required in New York and statistics show that there was no negative impact on traffic safety, Fiala said. She contends that allowing vision self-certification on license renewals expands an existing process in which drivers already self-certify they have no driving-related medical issues such as hearing or heart ailments or conditions which lead to unconsciousness.
Six states, including Connecticut and Pennsylvania, do not require eye tests at the time of license renewal, according to the DMV. Eight additional states, including Massachusetts, allow for self-certification of vision adequate for driving.
pat macinnes
9:46 am on Thursday, September 29, 2011
known fact that as we age vision so does our vision, night vision changes even in younger individuals. it is a 2 min, test but well worth it. some individuals refuse to believe they will ever require glasses. that fuzzyness they see and believe to be normal. For our safety continue to test.
ArTDecoPlayLand
10:03 am on Thursday, September 29, 2011
This will affect everyone because the car insurance companies have a special equation they use to calculate the risks of driving on the road. That equation will change and I guarantee they will deem it unsafer than it was before to drive on the road because of this and hence raise premiums.
Michael Rothman
10:27 am on Thursday, September 29, 2011
I contacted then State Senator Malcolm Wilson in 1959 to ask why there were no vision tests for renewals. The law was passed soon afterwards. i have all the documentation. I disagree because of a first hand experience. My father is 95 and lives in Florida. On his 95th birthday, his Florida drivers license was renewed by mail. When I visited him, I took him to the eye doctor for his checkup. The doctor told me to not let him drive because he was blind in one eye. I asked my father how long he had been like that. He told me a while, but he learned to compensate. Older people will rationalize any way they can to keep driving their cars, regardless of the consequences.
Zeph
11:04 am on Thursday, September 29, 2011
If the DMV doesn't want to do the eye test any longer for whatever reason, why not then require a certification from an eye Dr in order to renew? People should be going to have their eyes/vision checked every few years anyhow, right? But just scrapping it all together? No, I don't think that's a good idea.
Dana B.
3:43 pm on Thursday, September 29, 2011
It scares me to think that with the crazy people out on the road already now we`ll have blind ones too!! YIKES.. I agree with Zeph that at least a dr`s note would suffice.
Balar Gazor
5:51 pm on Thursday, September 29, 2011
Penny-wise and pound-foolish. BUT let's look at it from the viewpoint of Albany bureaucrats. This measure : 1. does not alienate seniors who vote for incumbents 2. save money that can be wasted on employee overtime, sick leave and pension 3. transfer the cost to the community who will bear insurance premiums and payouts for killer sighting-challenged seniors. Win Win Win then. Let's retire government until the only thing to fund will be public employee pensions. And privatize the risk of everything else (roads) EXCEPT Fire and Police Departments spending time in the office watching TV, cooking pasta and clocking overtime and pensions. Saving lives day in day out. Win win win.
Janie Rosman
7:08 pm on Thursday, September 29, 2011
how long does it take to perform an eye test? a minute or two? NO COMPARISON to safety on the road. I agree, it's not a good idea.
Brian Duddy
7:08 pm on Thursday, September 29, 2011
I went to DMV less then 2 weeks ago to renew my license and take my eye test and I gotta be honest with you, the eye test is the biggest joke in the world. It's basically useless. A card hangs from the ceiling and the person calls out a line for you to read. The lines are all the same font and size, there are no small letters like a normal eye test should have. Anyone could have read these letters.
Mike H
8:58 am on Friday, September 30, 2011
The DMV is claiming that they are trying to promote online renewals. I saw no problem with the old system where you entered the information from your eye doctor on the site in order to renew. It would take a few days to get the form back from the doctor stating that you had an exam within the last year and other information. Not a big deal to do so if you didn’t want to visit a DMV office. Self-certifying is another example of the lack of common sense by Albany.
Hope Bak
11:24 am on Friday, September 30, 2011
This should be modified to at least do eye tests on Seniors. CT does not require it and my 90 year old mother just renewed her drivers license for 6 years without an eye test. You need to either test or have a professional certify that the level is adequate as some people will not realize that they have lost skills and are below an acceptable level.
Linda Collins
5:40 pm on Friday, September 30, 2011
Good news ! I am a local Optometrist and I just received an email from the NYSOA that vision test has been reinstated.
William Demarest
6:12 pm on Friday, September 30, 2011
Linda: Thanks for the news. It's true. The DMV is forming a panel to look at what the state needs. Check out our latest story on Patch.
William A. Martone
1:06 am on Saturday, October 1, 2011
Why should drivers need to see? There is no continuing education requirements for drivers, no road test is ever needed after the initial one, there is reduced lighting on highways at night to make it more difficult to see. Why inconvenience drivers with an eye exam?