Several populations require the approval of the Medical Institute for Road Safety (MIRS) so as to receive a driver's license: applicants seeking to receive driving licenses for public vehicles and heavy goods vehicles; traffic offenders and drivers reported by the Israel Police to have been involved in traffic accidents; drug and alcohol users, along with those convicted of using them. Additionally, elderly people; those required to undergo periodic check-ups; people with various disabilities; as well as license applicants and license holders with certain health issues including mental health, epilepsy, and heart disease patients, are referred to the MIRS. The Institute’s service fees amount to hundreds of shekels.
On December 9, 2021, we appealed to the Minister of Transportation to cancel the MIRS’s service fees for drivers who require them for medical reasons or due to their age. Alternatively, we requested that the fees be significantly reduced for such drivers. Additionally, we requested the cancellation, or significant reduction, of the fee required to review files upon submitting an appeal – for all drivers who require MIRS services.
In the appeal, attorneys Roni Pelli and Maskit Bendel claimed that the costly fees harm those with disabilities and the elderly, especially when it comes to lower-income populations, constituting a significant obstacle toward the realization of their rights. We claimed that the present arrangement is unreasonable and disproportionate, and should thus be promptly amended.