Assessing fitness to drive: Visual standards and general practitioner responsibilities.

BACKGROUND

Driving requires complex visuospatial, cognitive and physical abilities, with vision being a key determinant of safety. Progressive eye diseases, diabetes and neurological conditions can impair visual acuity (VA) and visual fields (VF), increasing motor vehicle accident risk. With an ageing population, vision-related driving impairment is expected to rise.

OBJECTIVE

This article summarises Australian driving standard guidelines and provides a practical framework for general practitioners to assess, monitor and refer drivers with visual conditions that may affect fitness to drive.

DISCUSSION: VA and VF primarily determine visual fitness to drive, with specific thresholds for private and commercial licences. Understanding variable state-based reporting laws and initiating early, well-documented conversations about driving retirement can help maintain driver safety and autonomy while supporting community wellbeing.