Mandatory reporting by physicians of patients potentially unfit to drive
One strategy for the prevention of motor vehicle crashes is physician reporting of medically unfit drivers to vehicle licensing authorities, as mandated by law in Ontario, Canada. We studied drivers involved in life-threatening crashes who required hospital admission to determine how many had previously been seen and reported by a physician in the community. We identified consecutive drivers involved in a crash who were admitted to Canada's largest trauma centre between 30 June 1996 and 30 June 2001 to assess the prevalence of 3 chronic medical conditions reportable to vehicle licensing authorities (alcohol abuse, cardiac disease, and neurological disorders). We then conducted a case series analysis of linked health and transportation databases to determine how many drivers had previously been seen and reported by a physician in the community. Alcohol abuse was the most common underlying reportable condition (prevalent in 72 per cent of trauma patients with a reportable condition) and the least common reason for a previous report (reported in 2 per cent of those with a reportable condition). Unsafe drivers often visit physicians and yet are rarely reported to licensing authorities even under mandatory reporting laws for preventive medical reporting.
- Record URL:
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Authors:
- Redelmeier, D A
- Venkatesh, V
- Stanbrook, M B
- Publication Date: 2008
Language
- English
Media Info
- Pagination: 10p
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Serial:
- Issue Number: 1
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Driver performance; Highway safety; Impaired drivers; Legislation; Medical examinations and tests
- Uncontrolled Terms: Road safety (human factors)
- Geographic Terms: Ontario, Canada
- ATRI Terms: Driver performance; Fitness to drive; Legislation; Medical examination; Road safety
- Subject Areas: Law;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01385006
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: ARRB
- Files: ATRI
- Created Date: Aug 22 2012 6:28PM