Medico-legal issues and driver licensing.
Legal liability of doctors as a result of decisions regarding the fitness to drive of their patients, and the issue of mandatory reporting have emerged as major concerns following several recent cases in Australia. Driver Licensing Authorities rely on medical advice from the professions in order to exercise their statutory responsibility to ensure the competency and safety of their licence holders. The question of whether doctors must disclose medical information regarding potentially dangerous drivers is a controversial one as is the issue of whether doctors can be held legally responsible for decisions based on their advice. This column discusses the current situation in Australia in the light of these concerns and the implications for Licensing Authorities if information is not readily available to them.
Ranson
David
D
Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine.
D001315:Australia; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D010819:Physician's Role