Updated guidelines - are you medically fit to drive?
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and National Office for Traffic Medicine (NOTM) 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 updated advice for healthcare professionals in assessing whether a patient is fit to drive following a medical diagnosis, injury or treatment.
Medical conditions such as stroke, epilepsy, diabetes and sleep disorders, are among the diagnoses taken into account under the new guidelines.
Some of the 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.
Speaking at the launch at Trinity College Dublin, chief executive of the RSA, Sam Waide 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.”
For many, driving is essential for maintaining independence and well-being and the updated rehabilitation framework was designed in recognition of this, the RSA has said.
The updated guidelines emphasise a multi-disciplinary 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 specific licence restrictions which can specify car adaptations, daytime driving only, speed and distance restrictions.
In cases where driving is no longer possible, the guidelines highlighted licence restrictions and car adaptations as potential solutions to maintain mobility.
Additionally, the government will provide a free travel pass for individuals who are deemed medically unfit to drive for at least 12 months.
Director of NOTM, Prof. Desmond O’Neill added: “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 NOTM is located at the Centre for Innovative Human Systems in the School of Psychology in Trinity College Dublin.
