Tools to inform general practitioners’ decision making on driving following a stroke

To the Editor: Return to driving following a stroke is a complex issue. Austroads provides general guidelines1 and the National Stroke Foundation recommends a process including off-road and on-road driving tests.2 On-road assessments conducted by occupational therapists are considered the gold standard for decision making on return to driving following a stroke. Limited access is available to off-road and on-road tests across Australia, with few occupational therapists qualified to assess driving ability. Additionally, a range of off-road assessments are used for patients who have had a stroke. General practitioners, who are instrumental in managing return to driving, often base their decisions on limited information regarding functional status, particularly in terms of vision, cognition and perception. Rehabilitation physicians generally have access to more detailed information from allied health staff on which to base their decisions on driving ability.