The presentation is based on the abstract authored by: (1) An Rendell: Austroads; (2) Josie Thomas: National Transport Commission; (3) Michael Nieuwesteeg: Austroads. The presentation will be delivered by Michael Nieuwesteeg.
Austroads is the association of the Australian and New Zealand transport agencies, and provides quality, practical and impartial advice to its members. The National Transport Commission (NTC) leads national land transport reform for all Australian governments to improve safety, productivity, environmental outcomes and regulatory efficiency.
Medical fitness to drive is a critical consideration for road safety, directly influencing licensing decisions and ensuring the safety of all road users. In Australia, the Assessing Fitness to Drive (AFTD) standards (Austroads 2022a), jointly owned by Austroads and the NTC, have revolutionised the approach to medical standards for fitness to drive since their inception in 2003. The partnership between Austroads and the NTC has established a dynamic, continuous standards lifecycle, ensuring the standards are evidence-based and practical, and aligned with evolving road safety priorities and other transport medical standards.
The NTC leads a review of the standards every 3 years, with an update due in 2025. Austroads works on implementation, promotion, monitoring and engagement initiatives. Austroads and the NTC work closely to deliver their respective streams of work, and this continuous collaboration forms the backbone of this process. By integrating implementation feedback into ongoing reviews and revisions, this approach ensures that the standards remain relevant and effectively address the complexities of medical fitness to drive.
The Australian AFTD standard is regarded as world best practice and has informed updates to road standards in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Together, Austroads and the NTC designed an implementation strategy (Austroads 2022b) to achieve widespread, consistent, and appropriate application of the AFTD standards. They employed a structured methodology emphasising stakeholder engagement and evidence-based planning. The process included:
- Stakeholder consultation
- Analysis of implementation barriers
- Development of an implementation framework
- Evaluation of pilot implementation activities
- Governance and accountability
The implementation strategy was published in 2022. Since then, new governance structures and national coordination mechanisms have bridged jurisdictional gaps and harmonised AFTD action across Australia. An emphasis on health professional education and consumer awareness are addressing the need for improved understanding of responsibilities and processes related to medical fitness to drive, while better supporting the needs of drivers with medical and health challenges and their families.
An updated strategy (in draft) will build upon the success of recent implementation actions to further strengthen Australia’s approach to fitness to drive. The updated strategy will ensure long-term sustainability of initiatives, embed consistent practices across jurisdictions, and enhance data collection and research to support ongoing improvements. Additionally, the strategy will improve collaboration between government agencies, health professionals, and consumer groups to create a more integrated and adaptive system that supports safe and equitable driver licensing outcomes for all Australians.
References:
Austroads 2022a, Assessing fitness to drive for commercial and private vehicle drivers, AP-G56-22, Austroads, Sydney, NSW
Austroads 2022b, Assessing Fitness to Drive: Implementation Strategy 2022, AP-R675-22, Austroads, Sydney, NSW
FURTHER DETAILS OF INTEREST FOR PARTICIPANTS:
- Time: 27 November 2025, Time TBC
- Fee: This members-only event is free-of-charge
- Location: online
- Working language: English
- Registration: The deadline for registrations is 25 November 2025