This is a guide for identifying, evaluating, and regulating persons with epilepsy, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, mental illness, drug addiction and other sociopathic disturbances relative to driving. The report briefly discusses current knowledge about medical conditions and traffic accidents, general principles to be employed in identifying drivers with medical handicaps, and how to evaluate the extent to which medical impairment may affect ones ability to drive. Particular attention is given in the report to administrative problems as they affect driver licensing personnel, health departments, physicians, courts, police departments, and other persons or agencies involved in reporting and in regulation processes. In the extensive discussion of impairment related to the above described medical conditions, an attempt is made to describe the underlying pathological processes and long term outlook which are of greatest concern to the physician, as well as the specific manifestations pertinent to operation of a motor vehicle which present problems for driver licensing authorities. The descriptions of medical conditions are written so that they can be understood by persons without a medical background. One chapter of the report is devoted to listing requirements, relative to medical impairment, for the operation of commercial and emergency vehicles.
Abstract