Fitness to drive

Background

The Road Safety Authority have produced an excellent "Sláinte agus Tiomáint" document detailing information for doctors and others regarding patient's fitness to drive.

Just a few points:

You have an ethical and legal duty to maintain patient confidentiality.

A doctors duty is to:

• Assess the person’s medical fitness to drive based on the current Sláinte agus Tiomáint medical standards.
• To advise the person regarding the impact of their medical condition or disability on their ability to drive and
  recommend restrictions and ongoing monitoring as required.
• To advise the person of their responsibility to report their condition to the NDLS if their long-term or permanent
  injury or illness may affect their ability to drive.
• To report to the NDLS regarding a person’s fitness to drive in the exceptional circumstances where there is a risk
  to the public and the driver cannot or will not cease driving.

There is a considerable difference between the restitctions on Category 1 (car, motorbike, tractor) and Category 2 (bus, lorry etc) licence holders.

Please read the document but .... it is very comprehensive so I have added a few links to specific recommendations for different groups of conditions below.

Links

• RSA website site.
• Medical Aspects of Driver Licensing.
• For independent assessments try http://www.southernmobility.ie/html/assessments.html.