Citation

Beran RG. Intern. Med. J. 2013; 43(8): 849-853.

Affiliation

Suite 5, Level 6, 12 Thomas St, Chatswood NSW 2067. roy.beran@unsw.edu.au.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/imj.12177

PMID

23654348

Abstract

After nine years, Austroads has published new guidelines for fitness to drive. The guidelines have a preamble, which includes a legal disclaimer denying any culpability for those who designed the guidelines. They also warn of the legal responsibility for health professionals to satisfy their obligations, the need to be current with both relevant medical and legal expectations and if in doubt to seek guidance from Medical Defence Organisations. The guidelines are divided into Parts A and B, with A providing broad overview and background information while B deals with specific entities, such as blackouts, epilepsy or sleep disorders. This paper examines the guidelines and offers an appraisal of their content, their relevance to health practitioners and an assessment of their role in assisting to improve road safety.

Language: en