All drivers in Lithuania have to check their health regularly, ostensibly for the sake of their own safety and the safety of those around them. Soon, this procedure will be tightened, because if the medical certificate is invalid, the driver's license will no longer be valid.
However, there are quite a few people who complain not about the procedure itself, but about its implementation - they say that a 3-minute check does not ensure safety on the road, and besides, you have to pay a lot of money for it.
Communication specialist Jaunius Špakauskas was also outraged by this, sharing the post "For 3 minutes - 40 euros or 800 euros per hour. Well, this is a salary!".
40 euros for 30 seconds?
The man indicated that a preventive "check" of the driver at a private "type" clinic costs 40 euros.
And he added that he would only be able to see his doctor after 3 weeks, and there he would also have to see a psychiatrist remotely.
"Psychics, they say, don't check, instead they look through the camera and issue a certificate for 20 euros. You can't call a government agency, it's absolutely impossible, because all the owners of private clinics grease their fingers.
Oi, pardon (lit. forgive), checks the health of the drivers! Here, so that zabali (those who don't see - auth. post.) don't drive on potholed city streets and country roads," wrote J. Špakauskas.
He emphasized that he specifically tracked the time in advance and his health "check" took exactly 3 minutes. To be more precise, about 30 seconds were devoted to the "check" of health, and another was to work with papers.
"He asked me if I was healthy, if I wasn't taking any medication, and in the dark, covering it with his hand, he asked me to see four letters: two - left, two - right.
Of course, it's not difficult for me after laser eye correction, but it seems the doctor didn't even bother to check whether the future road eagle is not a fraud", recalls J. Špakauskas.
It has nothing to do with driver safety
According to him, this completely absurd health "checking" system, which must be included in the golden fund of the works of the lobbyists of the charming private health institutions, has absolutely nothing to do with health, the safety of road users, even with the abundance of papers that need to be filled out in a hurry on the Internet.
According to the man, here is a scheme of brazen and shamelessly open corruption in order to collect money in the office-like offices of class F in exchange for worthless papers, without which her majesty "Regitra" does not issue permission to pilot the machine:
"Yesterday I could, but today you have to spend 3 minutes and 40 of your hard-earned euros."
J. Špakauskas joked that this service is probably very useful when neither the eyes work, nor the hands work, nor the psyche is stable. After all, those 40 euros are a solid investment - you could pay more.
"But for an absolutely healthy and honest person..? At least I learned that it turns out you can't drive if you have problems urinating, either.
Instead, I had enough cunning to answer "no" to a sensitive question with dignity, J. Špakauskas said in the recording.
How often do drivers have to undergo health checks?
The Ministry of Health (SAM) reminds that in 2023 at the end of the year, the periodicity of health checks for drivers changed.
Drivers under the age of 65 only need a health check every ten years, drivers aged 66-79 need a health check once every 5 years, and drivers over 80 need a health check every 2 years.
"The driver's health check can be performed at the health care facility where the patient is registered, or at any other personal health care facility that provides these services.
A health check-up is done by a family doctor or internal medicine/pediatrician who provides primary care. The driver's mental health is also assessed by a psychiatrist in a mandatory manner," the ministry's website reads.
It is also important to remember that from 2025 on January 1, after the medical certificate expires, the driver's license will no longer be valid. In other words, the driver's medical certificate will have to be valid all the time, not only during the change of driver's license.
According to the SAM website, sending email reminders to drivers. letters show a positive trend - almost 50% have already checked their health. drivers who need to do this by January 1 of the following year.
Health is urged to be checked as soon as possible
According to the ministry, since November 2023, more than 200 people have had their health checked. drivers, but almost as many have not yet done so.
It is reminded that drivers who have not yet checked the validity period of their medical certificate are invited to do so as soon as possible. And this can be done in 2 ways:
- after identifying yourself via e-mail government portal in the "Drivers Portal";
- after entering the driver's license number and personal code in "Registros" e-mail in the system.
Nevertheless, SAM notices that 30-year-olds (12 percent of all drivers) and 65-year-old drivers (11 percent) are the most passive in checking their health.
Therefore, drivers of these and other age groups should hurry and not postpone the health check for the last day.
According to Vaidas Dominauskas, General Director of Regitra, the company has already sent more than 200 email letters inviting you to renew your medical certificates:
"The number of invalid medical certificates has almost halved since last November."
SAM confirmed that the number of driver's medical certificates issued has been growing rapidly recently: in 2022. 243 thousand were issued, in 2023 – 352 thousand, and in the first four years of 2024 months, they issued 163 thousand
Why is it important for drivers to have a health check?
"I am very grateful to the healthcare professionals, whose contribution is clearly visible in the growing number of issued certificates.
Of course, this shows the awareness of Lithuanian drivers and their concern for the safety of both themselves and other road users," says Deputy Minister of Health Aurimas Pečkauskas.
Family doctor Alma Astafjeva pointed out that the state of health of drivers is directly related to traffic safety, so it is very important to check their health.
She mentioned that health problems - especially vision or hearing problems - directly affect the driver's behavior on the road.
And such uncontrolled diseases as diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep disorders can lead to impaired reaction or sudden deterioration of health while driving.
"Regular health checks of drivers can help detect health problems in time and correct them so that everyone can drive safely," said A. Astafjeva.
Author: Deimantė Buslevičiūtė, TV3.lt
