I passed my driving test long before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Since then, I have changed to an automatic car because manually changing gears was getting increasingly difficult. The RSA website states that people applying for a driving licence who are living with “any other chronic neurological condition such as multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, or Huntington’s disease” require a medical report from.
This means that I must now submit a medical assessment, completed by my GP, with my renewal application. On my Irish licence, it is not very obviously marked that I have a medical condition. If you look at the back, right at the bottom, in the codes section, you can see the number 101. This code means renewal is subject to submission of a valid medical report. Therefore, the driving licence is not that useful as evidence of disability - especially when abroad.
Proof of disability
So, that leaves me with my blue badge when I need to use accessible services like parking or sit in a designated seat. The trouble is, if I display the blue badge on the window screen of my car then I no longer have proof of disability when I get to my destination. Multiple sclerosis symptoms like chronic fatigue are not obvious. When I was using crutches when I recently broke my leg I got a lot less hard stares when I needed to use accessible services.
EU disability card
The good news is that moving freely in the EU will soon become easier for people with disabilities. A European disability card and a parking card will ease access to our rights and to preferential conditions in all EU countries. Using the card, people with disabilities should have access to the same special conditions and preferential treatment as residents of the country they visit.
EU countries usually offer special conditions when using public transport and preferential treatment at cultural, leisure and sports events and activities. For example, when visiting a museum or when attending a concert. Advantages are different across member states and can include:
- Free entry
- Reduced prices
- Priority access
- Personal assistance
- Braille or audio guides
- Mobility aids
- Assistance animals
The new European disability card will be issued by the competent national authorities in each member state. EU countries will remain responsible for determining the eligibility criteria and the procedure for granting disability status.
The card will be offered in both physical and digital format. To ensure uniform implementation and mutual recognition across the Union, an improved version of the EU parking card with a common EU format will replace national cards. On October 2024, the Council adopted two directives establishing the European disability card and European parking card for persons with disabilities.
For both directives, EU member states will have 2.5 years in which to adapt their national legislation and 3.5 years in which to apply the directive. I cannot wait to get mine once it’s available here.
More information is available here.
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