Neurology: specific issues
Austroads driving rules after seizures, stroke, dementia, visual loss and progressive neurological disease, who must report, and safety advice in epilepsy and other neurological conditions, including the 2025 SPUMS diving guidance, water, heights, firearms and implanted devices.
Tier 2Topic overview
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- Driving: Austroads Assessing Fitness to Drive (2022) sets minimum standards. The licensing authority decides; the doctor assesses, advises, documents and reports where required. An NTC review consulted in mid-2026, but the 2022 standards apply until a new edition is published.
- Ask every neurology patient about licence class and occupation. Commercial standards are stricter.
- Safety in epilepsy is mostly about water, heights, heat and machinery. SPUMS (2025) advises against scuba diving after any seizure history.
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Sources
- Assessing Fitness to Drive for commercial and private vehicle drivers (2022 edition)AU/NZAustroads and the National Transport Commission, 2022 (NTC review consulted mid-2026; 2022 standards apply until replaced)
- Assessing Fitness to Drive (AP-G56), Seizures and epilepsyAU/NZAustroads and National Transport Commission, 2022
- Review of the Assessing Fitness to Drive standards, consultation overviewAU/NZNational Transport Commission, June 2026
- Assessing fitness to drive: visual standards and general practitioner responsibilities (Moshegov S et al. Aust J Gen Pract 2026;55:425-30)AU/NZAustralian Journal of General Practice (RACGP), 2026
- SPUMS guidelines on medical risk assessment for recreational divingAU/NZSouth Pacific Underwater Medicine Society, 6th edition, September 2025
- Therapeutic Guidelines: Neurology (epilepsy)AU/NZTherapeutic Guidelines Limited, current online version, accessed November 2026
- SUDEP and seizure safety checklistAU/NZEpilepsy Australia (Epilepsy Action Australia)
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
What changed
- 14 November 2026 Personal emails, About story and Australian-style copy