GPs call for help assessing older people's driving ability

That's according to a group of GPs which is calling for more help for doctors when assessing older people's fitness to drive.

The group, led by Gold Coast GP Katharine Wallis, says some doctors are uncomfortable assessing whether an older person should keep their driver's licence, with reports of doctors having difficulty sleeping after having assessed an older person as fit to drive for another year.

Laws on older drivers' fitness to drive varies between states, but across Australia GPs deny or sign off on conditional licences for seniors.

Professor Wallis, an academic in the University of Queensland's Primary Care Clinical Unit, and colleagues have written in the Medical Journal of Australia calling for a clearer framework.

They say a toolkit for use in general practice is needed to support clinical judgement and help them maintain patient relationship when they have to recommend further assessment, discuss on-road testing or stopping driving completely.

"GPs have two main responsibilities: to assess and make a recommendation on a driver's health and fitness to drive when requested, and to report to the relevant licensing authority any impairment adversely affecting a driver's ability to drive safely when impairment is known," Professor Wallis said.

She said an unfamiliarity with legal responsibilities and local resources, a lack of training and clear guidance, and poor access to on-road driving assessments can make it difficult for some GPs.

Austroads and the National Transport Commission already produce documents to guide GPs in making decisions about driver's licenses, but the authors said many GPs find them too confusing.

"While the Austroads document has much useful information, some GPs say its utility in the time-pressured context of general practice is limited, and that the document lacks clear guidance on referral thresholds and use of screening tests," Wallis and colleagues wrote.

She said a toolkit would not replace the occupational therapist on-road assessment, but instead support clinical judgement.

"To be feasible in the Australian general practice context, any toolkit would need to be easy and quick to administer and require no expensive equipment or special training," Professor Wallis said.

In NSW, anyone aged 75 and over must have a medical review every year to keep their licence, regardless of the class of licence held.

It can be a very difficult time for elderly drivers once they make the tough decision, or are forced, to surrender their licence or restrict their driving.

Victoria's licensing authority VicRoads has the following advice for people faced with that prospect:

For more resources on the different laws for older drivers in your state visit AustRoads