Medical aspects of fitness to drive.

Author(s)
Carter, T.
Year
Abstract

Pre-existing medical conditions can impair driving performance and lead to accidents. Regulatory controls have been in place since the 1930s and have grown in complexity over the years. They are now influenced by European as well as national concerns. Some medical standards are supported by evidence on risk but many are derived from expert judgement unsupported by valid studies. Revocation of a licence because medical standards are not met may have a severe effect on employment, amenity and self-esteem. Those who are affected reasonably expect that decisions are based on valid evidence and this has led to several significant legal and parliamentary challenges to existing standards. This is especially so as medical conditions probably only make a very small contribution to the overall toll of road casualties (Carter, 2001). In response to the need for more valid standards, a Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) programme of research on medical aspects of fitness to drive was instituted two years ago. The components of this programme are described, the projects completed, in progress or planned discussed and the implications of initial findings and the current social and political climate for the future direction of policy on medical fitness and driving considered. (Author/publisher) For the covering abstract see ITRD E116881.

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Publication

Library number
C 25406 (In: C 25393 [electronic version only]) /83 / ITRD E116894
Source

In: Behavioural research in road safety XII : proceedings of the 12th seminar on behavioural research in road safety, 2002, p. 127-132, 5 ref.

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This publication is one of our other publications, and part of our extensive collection of road safety literature, that also includes the SWOV publications.