01-04-2014, 04:02 AM
RE: Some Australian Doctors see the problem with Driver Reporting
(01-03-2014, 05:50 AM)me50 Wrote: is there such a regulation for those that are alcoholics? They are just as dangerous if not more so because they think they can drive better drunk and most of us with OSA know if it is not safe for us to drive and most of us either don't drive when it isn't safe or find alternative ways to get where we have to get. Just thinking out loud
Yes - under a strict interpretation a doctor could form an opinion on fitness to drive based on alcoholism, drug addiction, or any condition that, in the doctors opinion, makes a person less fit to drive.
Such a assessment does not always result in the cancellation of a licence - there are a wide range of things that allow a conditional licence to be provided. The condition could be to drive only in daylight, to wear optical correction, to only drive a suitably modified vehicle, etc etc.
In the specific case of alcohol there is also a prescribed limit for blood-alcohol above which an offence is committed regardless of whether obvious impairment is visible.
In the case of a number of illicit drugs detectible by a roadside saliva swab an offence is committed if a roadside test shows a positive result - there is no lower limit - and again the offence deemed to have been committed regardless of whether obvious impairment is visible.
In Qld an alcohol or drug driving conviction nearly always results an a loss of licence for some period starting at 3 months and ranging up to permanent.
Apart from OSA, doctors can make an adverse fitness to drive assessment for a wide range of things including visual acuity, epilepsy, stroke, general physical infirmity and certain mental issues.
In all cases though it is up to the driver to report it - although there is a mechanism for the doctor to report a recalcitrant patient.
