In 2003 Austroads, in conjunction with the National Road Transport Commission (NRTC), promulgated new guidelines for the assessment of fitness to drive (See C 26518 (ITRD E209740)). These covered both commercial and private road users but failed to gain endorsement from any legal medicine body, such as the Australian College of Legal Medicine, and have been rejected by organisations such as the Epilepsy Society of Australia. The document is divided into three parts, providing general information, advice regarding selected illnesses and appendices containing samples of documents and contact details. In the preamble (p vii) Austroads and NRTC disclaim responsibility for consequences ensuing from application of guidelines. Such disclaimer produces conflicting responsibility and questionable authority. What follows is an analysis of the document and suggestions for improving its relevance for doctors who are expected to implement guidelines which its authors disclaim. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting