The long road for Var drivers with suspended licenses

There's a traffic jam for getting a medical examination at the prefecture. For several months, road users in the Var region whose licenses had been suspended have been struggling to secure a slot to appear before the prefectural medical committee. However, this is a mandatory step before getting their driver's license back, once the person concerned has served their penalty.

"Already, in normal times, the delay between making an appointment and the appointment date is around three months, which results in adding three months of additional suspension for those who have not taken the initiative by registering well in advance," analyzes Frédéric Casanova, lawyer in Toulon. Before regretting: "At the moment, it is simply impossible to make an appointment."

Matthieu (1), a resident of the eastern Var region, recently paid the price. Unable to find an appointment despite numerous daily reminders, he was "forced" to start driving without a license in the weeks following the end of his suspension. Waiting since the beginning of the year, he finally used an intermediary to obtain a slot with the State services. "Luckily, because it could have gone on for a long time..." , he says, looking exasperated.

Before explaining: "I've been told for over two months that there were no slots available. I think I've already paid my debt. So, I'm driving with an invalid license and I'm still at risk of problems... It's catastrophic. But I have to get to work!"

Slots resold on the Internet

When contacted, the Var prefecture did not deny "the high demand" . "As soon as the medical commission visit slots are open, the schedule is full within a few hours," announced the Lices in Toulon.

This phenomenon could nevertheless be attributed to other factors, such as "users who make several appointments at once and unnecessarily block slots" , or companies that resell them on the Internet: "The ministry is aware of this national problem and a solution is being developed."

To increase their chances of getting a medical examination, users can contact the Driving Rights Center (PDAC) via the online form on the prefecture's website, by clicking on "Contact us" and choosing the topic "Driving license and medical examination. " The PDAC will contact them directly to arrange an appointment tailored to the urgency of their situation.