• Blackouts or fainting
• Sleep disorders
• Vision problems
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Psychiatric disorders
• Heart disease
• Age-related decline
  

Just because you have a disease or condition that might affect your driving, doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to drive at all. It might mean that you have to see your doctor more often to check that your illness is well managed and it might mean that there are some restrictions placed on your driving.


Who makes the rules about whether or not you are well enough to drive?

The rules about health and driving are developed by medical experts and are agreed to by all Driver Licensing Authorities. Your doctor does not make the rules but provides advice about how your particular health condition might affect your ability to drive safely and how it might be managed. The Driver Licensing Authority always makes the final decision about your licence status and will consider the advice of your doctor as well as other factors such as your accident history and the type of vehicle you drive (for example a truck, car, or a public passenger vehicle).


What are your legal responsibilities?

All States and Territories in Australia have laws about reporting health conditions that might affect your ability to drive safely. These laws have been created to protect public safety.

The laws require you to report to your Driver Licensing Authority any permanent or long-term illness that is likely to affect your ability to drive safely.

Your doctor is able to advise you on whether or not you should be reporting a condition to the Driver Licensing Authority. When you report your illness it doesn’t necessarily mean that your licence will be taken away. It does mean that the Driver Licensing Authority can work with you and your doctor to manage your condition with respect to your driving.


What if your condition is only temporary?

Many temporary conditions will prevent you from driving. For example, following an anaesthetic your doctor will advise you not to drive for 24 hours or more. An injury, such as a broken leg, may also prevent you from driving. In these types of circumstances your doctor will advise you about the need to restrict your driving in the short term. In most cases your licence status will not be affected and you will not need to report to the Driver Licensing Authority.


How will your doctor assess whether or not you should be driving?

When assessing your ability to drive safely, your doctor will consider your physical and psychological health. He or she will refer to a book of medical standards which is used by all doctors throughout Australia and which describes specific requirements for various diseases and conditions. You can view these standards on this site. Download AFTD pdf

Sometimes it can be difficult to make an assessment and your doctor may refer you for a practical assessment.


Are there different medical standards for private and commercial vehicle drivers?

There are two sets of medical standards – one for private vehicle drivers and one forcommercial vehicle drivers. The standards for commercial vehicle drivers are more stringent than those for private vehicle drivers. Professional drivers such as drivers of trucks, public passenger vehicles and vehicles carrying dangerous goods must meet higher medical standards because of the demands of their work,the extensive hours spent on the road and the serious consequences likely to result from a crash.

The private standards apply to:
Drivers applying for or holding a license class C (Car), R (Motorcycle) or LR (Light Rigid) UNLESS the driver is also applying for an authority or is already licenced to use the vehicle for carrying public passengers for hire or reward or for the carriage of bulk dangerous goods or in some jurisdictions for a driver instructor’s license.

The commercial standards apply to:

• Drivers of 'heavy vehicles' i.e. those holding or applying for a licence of class MR (Medium Rigid), HR (Heavy Rigid), HC (Heavy Combination) or MC (Multi-combination, refer Table 1).
• Drivers applying for an authority /already licensed to carry public passengers for hire or reward (bus drivers, taxi drivers, chauffeurs, drivers of hire cars and small buses etc).
• Drivers applying for an authority / already licenced to carry bulk dangerous goods.

NOTE: A person who does not meet the commercial vehicle medical standards may still be eligible to retain a private vehicle driver licence. In such cases, both sets of standards may need to be consulted.


What is a conditional licence?

In most cases, having a medical condition will not stop you from driving as the licensing authority is able to issue a conditional licence. This means that you may continue to drive as long as certain conditions or restrictions are met. Conditions may include driving during daylight hours, the wearing of glasses or corrective lenses when driving or attending your doctor for a periodic review and providing a report to the Driver Licensing Authority. Your doctor may make recommendations to the Driver Licensing Authority about a conditional licence but the authority will make the final decision.

If you are issued with a conditional licence it is your responsibility to comply with any driving restrictions or other conditions and to be reviewed by your doctor as required.


What about conditional licences for commercial vehicle drivers?

If you have an illness that is likely to impact on your ability to drive safely it is important to tell your doctor what sort of vehicle you drive. It may be that with treatment and regular review you will be able to continue to drive on a conditional licence, even if you are a professional driver.Conditional licences have been a longstanding feature of the commercial licensing system. The new medical standards ensure clearer and more consistent application of conditional licences forcommercial vehicle drivers and reflect recent advances in medical diagnosis and treatment. For commercial drivers this means that there are few blanket exclusions for health conditionsand there is scope for drivers to continue operating on a conditional licence provided their health conditionis well controlled and reviewed regularly.

The new standards do require that an appropriate medical specialist (not a GP) make such recommendations regarding conditional licences for commercial vehicle drivers. This is in recognition of the increased risk associated with driving a commercial vehicle and the need to ensure that driver’s health does not increase the risk of a crash.

If you are a professional driver it is important to seek medical advice about any health problem that you might have since early and effective management is likely to extend your driving career – not shorten it.


Will your doctor notify the Licensing Authority if you are not well enough to drive?

As the relationship between you and your doctor is a confidential one, your doctor will not normally communicate directly with the Driver Licensing Authority. He or she will provide you with advice about your ability to drive safely as well as a letter or report to take to the authority.

Doctors also have an obligation to public safety so your doctor may notify the Driver Licensing Authority directly if he or she feels your condition poses a significant threat to public safety.


What happens if you don’t follow your doctor’s advice?

If you continue to drive despite your doctor’s advice and you do not report to the Driver Licensing Authority, you are not fulfilling your legal responsibility. If you are involved in a crash under these circumstances and it is found that your health condition was a contributing factor, you may be prosecuted and your insurance may not be valid.

If your doctor is aware that you are continuing to drive and feels that your driving is a serious risk to you and other road users, he or she may feel obliged to notify directly to the Licensing Authority directly.


You are concerned about a friend or relative and their safety on the road.
How might you help them?

If you know of licence holders whose health might be affecting their ability to drive safely, it is important to get them to talk to their doctor. It may be that, with appropriate treatment or driving restrictions, they can continue to drive on a conditional licence. Their doctor may also be able to suggest alternative transport solutions. If they are unwilling to discuss this with a doctor, you should contact the Driver Licensing Authority who will deal with the matter confidentially.