Does a Hearing Loss Prevent you from Driving?

Many people with hearing loss are scared of losing the right to drive because of their hearing impairment. This fear can intensify among professional drivers for whom driving is their livelihood.

The Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec has set certain conditions for individuals with hearing loss who possess a class 2 (bus) and/or 4 (emergency vehicles, small bus/minibus and taxicab) license.

This condition states that a person with a hearing loss (with or without a hearing aid) greater than 40 dB (average of 500, 1,000, and 2,000 Hz) in the better ear will not be permitted to drive a vehicle of the classes mentioned above. The same condition applies for those driving in the United States and includes classes 1, 2, 3 and 4B.

It should be noted that a medical assessment is required if a driver wishes to obtain a license for one of these classes. Other medical assessments are also required when the driver reaches ages 45, 55, 60, 65, and every two years thereafter.

For drivers with licenses other than those mentioned above, no criteria applies. Therefore, there are no rules preventing a person with a hearing loss from driving a passenger vehicle in Quebec.

Studies have shown that compared to the general population, a person who was born deaf will not cause any more accidents or violate the Highway Safety Code.