Medical fitness to drive guidelines launch by School of Psychology

Posted on: 07 April 2025

The Road Safety Authority and the National Office for Traffic Medicine, in the School of Psychology, have launched a major update to Ireland’s medical fitness to drive guidelines, ensuring they reflect the latest medical research and best practices in road safety.

The guidelines, Sláinte agus Tiomáint, provide critical guidance for healthcare professionals in assessing whether a patient is fit to drive following a medical diagnosis, injury, or treatment.

Key updates include:

• New guidance on rehabilitation and return-to-driving pathways for those recovering from serious injuries, such as stroke or brain trauma.
• Improved advice for medical professionals on how to sensitively manage conversations about driving cessation.
• Clarifications and updates on a range of conditions, including epilepsy, diabetes, sleep disorders, and cardiovascular health.

The National Office for Traffic Medicine is located in the Centre for Innovative Human Systems in the School of Psychology.

Professor Desmond O’Neill, Director of the National Office for Traffic Medicine, said: “These updates reflect the evolving nature of road safety and medical science. We recognise the importance of balancing road safety with individual mobility and independence. By equipping healthcare professionals with clear, up-to-date guidance, we can ensure that decisions around fitness to drive are made with confidence, fairness, and safety in mind.

“If doctors and other health professionals routinely provide advice based on these guidelines to their patients, we can reduce crash rates by up to one third and also maintain safe mobility for longer for their patients.”

The guidelines were launched at an event in Trinity Business School on Monday, April 7th. It was attended by a range of medical and allied health professionals and advanced driving instructors, as well as members of An Garda Síochána, the RSA, Department of Transport, the Driver and Vehicle Agency and Department of Infrastructure, Northern Ireland.

For many, driving is essential for maintaining independence and well-being. The updated rehabilitation framework acknowledges this, emphasising a multidisciplinary approach that includes medical professionals, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and optometrists to support people in safely returning to the road.

Continued driving may be enabled through licence restrictions which can specify car adaptations, daytime driving only, and speed and distance restrictions. In cases where driving is no longer possible, the guidelines highlight licence restrictions and car adaptations as potential solutions to maintain mobility. Additionally, the Government’s decision to provide a free travel pass for individuals medically unfit to drive for at least 12 months offers crucial support for those affected.

Speaking at the launch in Trinity, Sam Waide, chief executive of the Road Safety Authority, said: “With an ageing population and increasing numbers of drivers managing chronic health conditions, these guidelines are more relevant than ever. By aligning with international best practices and drawing on the latest medical research, we aim to ensure that medical fitness assessments are fair, transparent, and prioritise road safety.”

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