Official regulations with regard to medical fitness to drive ignore important scientific research findings. In particular, although it has been shown that there is a gray zone where fitness to drive is less dependent on the severity of specific impairments than on compensatory functions, skills and technical aids, insufficient emphasis is placed on on-road and driving simulator methods for testing fitness to drive. An advantage of including compensation skills in the assessment of fitness to drive is that there is a logical connection between assessment and the development of driver rehabilitation methods. However, compared to traditional medical and psychological assessment of fitness to drive, on-road and simulator tests suffer from limited standardization and a lack of knowledge about the contents, validity and reliability of the test drives. A scientifically based and rehabilitation-oriented approach to fitness to drive and promotion of multidisciplinary scientific research in this area is recommended. (Author/publisher)
Abstract