HonorableHomer Garrison,Jr. Director Texas Departmentof PublicSafety Camp Mabry Austin,Texas
Attention:Mr. J. B. Draper
Dear Sir: OpinionNo. O-4975 Re: Under the provisionsof Section 10, House Bill 20, Acts of the 47th Lagislature, would the Texas Departmentof Public Safety be authorizedto cause personswho are advancedin years or sufferingfrom certainphysicaldefectsor nervous dis- orders to submitto an examinationto determinetheir ability to operatea motor vehicle safely?
You have requestedthe opinionof this departmenton the above stated question.
House Bill 20, Acts of the 47th Legislature,cited by you is the currentTexas Drivers'LicenseLaw. In the herein after quoted provisicm of said law, the word "department" refers to the Texas Departmentof Public Safety,and the word "Director"refers to the Directorof that department.
Section 10 of the Act, relatingto examinationof applicantsfor drivers' licenses,providesas follows:
"The Departmentshell examineevery applicentfor an operator's, commercialoperator's,or chauffeur'slicense,except as otherwise providedin this Section. Such examinationshall be held in the countywhere the applicantresidesor makes applicationwithin not more than ten (10) days from the date applicationis made. It shall includea test of the applicant'svision,his abilityto understand highway signs in the English languageregulating,warning,and directingtraffic,his knowledgeof the trafficlaws of this State, and shall includean actual demonstrationof abilityto exercise ordinaryand reasonablecontrolin the operationof a motor vehicle and such furtherphysicaland mental examinationas the Department finds necessaryto determinethe applicant'sfitnessto operatea motor vehiclesafely upon the hi&ways, and provided, furtherthat the HonorableHomer (XIrrison, Jr. Page (0-49'75)
Director&ail have the authorityto cause to be re-examincdlicensee in any case w'hichin his Judgmentthe lizensaeis incapableof operatinga motor vehicle,said exam'inationshall be held in the countyof the licensee'sresidenceunless otherwiseagreed to by both parties to be held elsewhere."
Said House Bill 20 is now codifiedas Article 66873, Ferna's Revised Civil Statutesof 1925.
Under the authorityof this btatute,' It is our o&&ion that you, as director of the Departmentof PubZ.icSafety,arc authorizedto cause liocnseeswho are advancedin pars or,sufferingfrom p&ys;Laaidafcztsor nervous disordersto submitto an examination'51determinethc?r abilityto opgate a motor vehiclesafelywhenever,in your Judgmcnt~the iioenseeis lncapable of operatinga motor vehicle. Under the statute, %mqdble of operating a n&or vehicle"wan6 the lack of atKLity +Q exeroiseordinaryand reasonablecontrolin thc~opcrationof a motor to operate@oh vehicle safelyu&n the highways.
Yours very t~xiiy
ATTORNEYGESIRRALCPTECiAS
s/W. R. Allen
WRA:mp '_ A&omDl&. 8, 1gk2
s/ GERALDc. MnETN A!I%XNEXCSRRRALOF~S
APPRom 0PlN1ONCO&lMITrEg BY B. W. B. CHAIRMAN