Fit to Drive?

It is fundamental expectation of the Safe System approach to road safety management that those operating motor vehicles should be fit to do so. This report examines the research evidence and current practice in Great Britain on fitness to drive. It covers a wide range of impairments, including ones that are relatively long-term for the individual (such as physical and cognitive impairments) and the short-term ones that can be sometimes be related to individual behaviour and choice (for example alcohol consumption and fatigue). For each type of impairment, there is a discussion of how that impairment affects risk in driving. Where appropriate, this is followed by a review of interventions to manage and control those risks. Finally, there is a discussion of implications for policy. The report concludes with a set of recommendations (see page 20) both on road safety policy in order to improve the management of fitness to drive, and on identified research needs, where the required evidence on effective countermeasures is lacking. The policy recommendations cover the regulatory framework, enforcement, road design, health practice and the management of occupational road risk. New research initiatives in the areas of health practice and of vehicle and road design are advocated.