Fitness to drive and disorders of substance use

A person cannot hold an unconditional driving licence if they have certain medical conditions, includingAustroads, 2022:

  • dependence on (or heavy frequent use of) alcohol or other substance(s) that are likely to impair safe driving1
  • a history of a seizure.

The AustRoads website has advice on assessing fitness to drive, advising patients about driving, and when to consider notifying the licensing authority directly about concerns regarding a person’s fitness to drive.

Discussions about driving depend on a therapeutic alliance and agreement of a plan for regular review of fitness to drive. The review plan should be agreed before treatment starts. Advise patients who are planning a short-term withdrawal intervention that they should not drive until the withdrawal process has been completed; this applies whether or not they take medication to manage withdrawal. Other contraindications to driving include feeling sedated or unstable drug use.

If a person has had a seizure suspected to result from substance withdrawal, advise the person not to drive until cleared by a specialist. Licensing for resuming driving may be conditional on continued abstinence and monitoring by an addiction specialist. Explain the importance of abstaining to reduce recurrence risk.

1 Driving may be impaired by deficits in short-term memory and learning, perceptual-motor skills (ability to combine perceptual information with motor skills), visual search and scanning strategies, executive functions (mental flexibility, problem-solving, planning, prioritising, focusing attention, sustaining or shifting focus, or controlling impulsivity)Austroads, 2022.Return