In Queensland you are required to report any long term or permanent medical condition, or any change to an existing medical condition, which is likely to adversely affect your ability to drive safely to the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Different levels of licences require specific medical tests to be performed to confirm to the government that it is safe for the public for the person to drive.

As a professional driver you have a responsibility to be thoughtful about the way your health may affect you being ‘fit to drive’. This applies to general health as well as the use of drugs and alcohol.

Professional driving, whether it be a heavy vehicle, public passenger vehicle or dangerous goods vehicle, brings with it additional demands associated with the vehicle itself, the responsibility to passengers, the demands of work schedules and so on. A range of medical conditions, as well as treatments, may therefore impair your ability to undertake your work safely.

Common examples include:

• Blackouts Sleep disorders
• Vision problems
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy and seizures
• Psychiatric disorders
• Heart disease