Assessing Fitness to Drive - BiOptic Driving Network

PATIENT ASSESSMENT5.4 CRASHES5.4.1 A particular situation requiring the preparation of a report is one in which a crashhas occurred and police or the driver licensing authority believes a medicalcondition may be relevant. In such cases careful documentation is required as thedriver licensing authorities have an obligation to the community and are less likely toallow driving unless both medical practitioner and the authority are confident that itis responsible to do so.5.4.2 In all cases, but especially cases of this variety, the professional will be aware ofthe necessity of expressing an opinion based on all the information available. Insome cases, there may be some information not made available to the professional,so caution is counselled in making conclusions and recommendations. Normallyinformation about the circumstances of the crash will be provided to theprofessional and, in the absence of such information, the report should beappropriately qualified.5.5 PATIENT– PROFESSIONAL CONFLICT5.5.1 Because most adults consider a driver licence critical to continued independence,employment and recreation, the risk of its being withdrawn can evoke strongemotions. It is not rare for patients to be affronted by a challenge to their driverlicence and to direct their hostility at their health professionals. Health professionalsmay be subject to abuse and to threats of violence. It is clear, in such circumstances,that the professional is quite unable to assist the patient and has little, if any,capacity to influence the broader issue of public safety. In this situation the healthprofessional can be under no obligation to make a decision on fitness to drive sincehe or she will be constrained by any future relationship with the patient, includingthe issue of intimidation. In such circumstances the health professional mightsuggest the matter be referred to the driver licensing authority withoutrecommendation, and that the driver licensing authority make a ruling. Theseguidelines serve as a basis for the decisions made by driver licensing authorities.The authorities themselves will take all reasonable steps to obtain the informationrequired to make a valid and defensible decision. Driver licensing authoritiesrecognise that it is their role to enforce the laws on driver licensing and road safetyand will not place pressure on health professionals that might needlessly exposethem to risk.11