A B.C. teenager who passed driving school with flying colours has been prevented from taking the in-vehicle test for at least half a year because of a medical condition.
Sixteen-year-old Victoria area resident Cole Alexander has been learning to drive with his learner’s licence and should have been able to take the N test on Nov. 15 to get the N and hit the road. What Alexander didn’t know was that it would take him almost six months to just book the test alone because of type one diabetes.
“It’s a bit bothering because I know a lot of my friends are driving and I feel kind of bad if we’re going somewhere and I have to get a ride with them,” said Alexander. “On top of that, I have two jobs and one of them takes me all over the place.”
Alexander told ICBC about his diabetes when he got his L. He was then asked to have a driver’s medical examination form completed by his doctor before taking his N test. The form indicated that Alexander understands his condition, how to treat it and is in consultation with his physicians. Although Alexander has his L, he isn’t allowed to book an N test without the medical form being processed by RoadSafetyBC, instead of ICBC
A couple of months after Alexander submitted his form, he wanted to check on the progress and called RoadSafetyBC staff, who told Alexander he should expect it to be processed by the end of August, but that didn’t happen.
“We’ve been calling them and my dad’s been writing letters and now we found out that they might look at it in the next five weeks. Which means you know maybe a couple of months after that I’ll be able to get my test,” said Alexander.
The last update Alexander got from RoadSafetyBC is that they’re processing forms submitted up to April 21, 2023. He submitted his form on April 26. Based on the process so far, Alexander is expecting his form to be in review in early November.
Alexander knows he could have booked his N test way sooner if he didn’t have to wait for the medical form to be processed, since his twin brother Emmett – who doesn’t have diabetes – was able to book his N test on Nov. 15, 2023 after passing his L test around the same time Cole did.
Cole’s father Kevin was also surprised by the lack of communication from ICBC and RoadSafetyBC.
“Why wouldn’t they be providing this information? The only way you would find it on RoadSafetyBC (the website) is if you were a doctor because the information is listed as for ‘information for medical professionals,’ that’s where they list the conditions. So nobody with diabetes would even know to look there unless they happen to be a medical professional,” said Kevin.
Under section 7.6.2 of the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA), there are mandatory conditions for maintaining a licence for those who have diabetes. These conditions are that the driver remains under regular medical supervision to ensure that any progression in their condition or development of chronic complications does not go unattended, stops driving immediately if hypoglycemia is identified or suspected, does not drive when glucose level is below 4.0 mmol/L, does not drive at least 40 minutes after successful treatment of hypoglycemia, and blood glucose level has increased to at least 5.0 mmol/L, and when driving tests blood glucose immediately before driving and approximately every 4 hours while driving, and have an available source of rapidly absorbable glucose.
“No one has shared this information with my son, or even informed companies that teach new drivers of these regulations. So my son, and others like him, are driving as learners and have never been informed or educated about the mandated rules for medical issues they properly reported that they have,” said Kevin. “Whether it’s people with a disability or with a disease, you’re automatically at a disadvantage and people who have these often talk about just not being heard and they’re never trusted. I think maybe this is the first time where I’m like, OK I get it.”
The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General told Black Press Media in a detailed statement that it wouldn’t comment specifically on Cole’s case but, generally, there are safety issues that need addressing before road tests.
“For the safety of driver examiners, drivers and the public, the medical fitness of some drivers must be ascertained before the individual is able to be tested,” said a ministry statement. “ICBC follows the RoadSafetyBC-sanctioned Driver’s Medical Examination Report (DMER) issuance guide to determine who must be issued a DMER and whether a licence can be issued prior to a medical fitness determination or after.”
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