2010 BC Guide in Determining Fitness to Drive
2010 BC Guide in Determining Fitness to Drive 2010 BC Guide in Determining Fitness to Drive
Example: depressing the brake pedal in response to a child running outon the roadway, swerving to avoid an animal on the road, etc.Research on motor functions and driving indicates considerable variabilityin the association between the different motor functions and drivingoutcomes. Overall, the research suggests that a significant level ofimpairment in motor functions is needed before driving performance isaffected to an unsafe level.Sensorimotorfor purposes of the Driver Fitness Program, sensorimotor functions areconsidered as a subset of motor functions.sensorimotor function is a combination of sensory and motorfunctioning for accomplishing a task.sensorimotor functions are, for the most part, reflexive or automatice.g., the response to your hand being placed on a hot stove; ability tosit upright, etc.vestibular disorders and peripheral vascular diseases commonly resultin sensorimotor impairments.Sensory functions (Vision)Visual functions important for driving include:Acuitythe spatial resolving ability of the visual system, e.g., the smallest sizedetail that a person can see.visual acuity typically is assessed by having the person read a letterchart such as the Snellen chart, where the first line consists of one verylarge letter, with subsequent rows having increasing numbers of lettersthat decrease in size.Visual fieldrefers to an individual’s entire spatial area of vision when fixation isstable, e.g., the extent of the area that an individual can see with theireyes held in a fixated position.Contrast sensitivitythe amount of contrast an individual needs to identify or detect anobject or pattern, e.g., the ability detect a gray object on a whitebackground or to see a white object on a light gray background.22
an individual with poor contrast sensitivity may have difficulty seeingtraffic lights or cars at night. Conditions such as cataracts and diabeticretinopathy affect contrast sensitivity.Disability glarethe degradation of visual performance caused by a reduction ofcontrast. It can occur directly, by reducing the contrast between anobject and its background, i.e. directly affecting the visual task, orindirectly by affecting the eye.Examples: the reflection of the sun from a car dashboard, and the viewthrough a misted up windscreen.Perceptionrefers to the process of acquiring, interpreting, selecting, andorganizing sensory information.Results from studies investigating the relationship between visual abilitiesand driving performance are, for the most part, equivocal. It may be, assuggested for motor abilities, that a significant level of visual impairmentis needed before driving performance is affected.3.4 Individual assessmentDriver fitness determinations will be based on individual characteristicsand abilities rather than presumed group characteristics and abilities.In the Grismer case, the Supreme Court of Canada held that each drivermust be assessed according to the driver’s own personal abilities ratherthan presumed group characteristics. The case originated from acomplaint to the BC Council of Human Rights regarding OSMV’scancellation of a driver’s licence. OSMV had cancelled the licencebecause the driver’s vision did not meet the minimum standard establishedin the Guide. The Grismer decision is applicable to driver fitnessdeterminations for individuals with persistent impairments. The courtshave not yet considered the issue of individual assessments for driverswith episodic impairments.The discrimination found in the Grismer case was not because OSMVcancelled a licence but because the driver did not have the opportunity toprove through an individual assessment that he could be licensed withoutunreasonably jeopardizing road safety. The court held that OSMV madean error when it adopted an absolute standard which was not supported byevidence.23
- Page 1 and 2: Ministry of Public Safety and Solic
- Page 3 and 4: AcknowledgmentsResearcherBonnie M.
- Page 5 and 6: Table of Contents (click on any ite
- Page 7 and 8: 11.7 Private and commercial drivers
- Page 9 and 10: 17.7 Private and commercial drivers
- Page 11 and 12: 20.8 Private and commercial drivers
- Page 13 and 14: BACKGROUND ........................
- Page 15 and 16: PART 1:BACKGROUND1
- Page 17 and 18: Appendix 2: Excerpts from the MVA t
- Page 19 and 20: Chapter 2: The Driver Fitness Progr
- Page 21 and 22: for the exercise of discretion by O
- Page 23 and 24: 1. SCREENINGA driver disclosesa med
- Page 25 and 26: 2.3 Roles and responsibilitiesOSMV
- Page 27 and 28: Medical practitionersMedical practi
- Page 29 and 30: Chapter 3:Driver Fitness Program Pr
- Page 31 and 32: Because of these limitations, OSMV
- Page 33 and 34: Example: the temporary storage of i
- Page 35: Motor functions (including sensorim
- Page 39 and 40: 3.5 Best informationDriver fitness
- Page 41 and 42: Chapter 4: Introduction to the Poli
- Page 43 and 44: 3. DETERMINATIONFrom2. AssessmentAn
- Page 45 and 46: Once identified, a DMER is mailed t
- Page 47 and 48: 5.3 Screening aging driversDefiniti
- Page 49 and 50: 5.5 Transient impairmentsDefinition
- Page 51 and 52: Chapter 6: Assessment Policies and
- Page 53 and 54: 6.2 Assessments will only be reques
- Page 55 and 56: 6.4 Requesting specialist assessmen
- Page 57 and 58: Policy6.5.1 If a case manager or ad
- Page 59 and 60: Persistent and episodic impairments
- Page 61 and 62: further assessment. Drivers who sco
- Page 63 and 64: 6.9.4 A case manager or adjudicator
- Page 65 and 66: ASSESSMENT PROCEDURESCase manager o
- Page 67 and 68: A driver fitness determination is a
- Page 69 and 70: Policy rationaleBecause individuals
- Page 71 and 72: 7.5.3 Generally, an individual whos
- Page 73 and 74: 7.6.2 In particular, the case manag
- Page 75 and 76: 7.8.3 Whether an individual can com
- Page 77 and 78: in order to be fit to drive, the ca
- Page 79 and 80: has the judgment and willingness to
- Page 81 and 82: Policy7.11.1 If a case manager or a
- Page 83 and 84: (e) the medical condition results i
- Page 85 and 86: 7.12 Communicating a decisionPolicy
an <strong>in</strong>dividual with poor contrast sensitivity may have difficulty see<strong>in</strong>gtraffic lights or cars at night. Conditions such as cataracts and diabeticret<strong>in</strong>opathy affect contrast sensitivity.Disability glarethe degradation of visual performance caused by a reduction ofcontrast. It can occur directly, by reduc<strong>in</strong>g the contrast between anobject and its background, i.e. directly affect<strong>in</strong>g the visual task, or<strong>in</strong>directly by affect<strong>in</strong>g the eye.Examples: the reflection of the sun from a car dashboard, and the viewthrough a misted up w<strong>in</strong>dscreen.Perceptionrefers <strong>to</strong> the process of acquir<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>in</strong>terpret<strong>in</strong>g, select<strong>in</strong>g, andorganiz<strong>in</strong>g sensory <strong>in</strong>formation.Results from studies <strong>in</strong>vestigat<strong>in</strong>g the relationship between visual abilitiesand driv<strong>in</strong>g performance are, for the most part, equivocal. It may be, assuggested for mo<strong>to</strong>r abilities, that a significant level of visual impairmentis needed before driv<strong>in</strong>g performance is affected.3.4 Individual assessment<strong>Drive</strong>r fitness determ<strong>in</strong>ations will be based on <strong>in</strong>dividual characteristicsand abilities rather than presumed group characteristics and abilities.In the Grismer case, the Supreme Court of Canada held that each drivermust be assessed accord<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> the driver’s own personal abilities ratherthan presumed group characteristics. The case orig<strong>in</strong>ated from acompla<strong>in</strong>t <strong>to</strong> the <strong>BC</strong> Council of Human Rights regard<strong>in</strong>g OSMV’scancellation of a driver’s licence. OSMV had cancelled the licencebecause the driver’s vision did not meet the m<strong>in</strong>imum standard established<strong>in</strong> the <strong>Guide</strong>. The Grismer decision is applicable <strong>to</strong> driver fitnessdeterm<strong>in</strong>ations for <strong>in</strong>dividuals with persistent impairments. The courtshave not yet considered the issue of <strong>in</strong>dividual assessments for driverswith episodic impairments.The discrim<strong>in</strong>ation found <strong>in</strong> the Grismer case was not because OSMVcancelled a licence but because the driver did not have the opportunity <strong>to</strong>prove through an <strong>in</strong>dividual assessment that he could be licensed withoutunreasonably jeopardiz<strong>in</strong>g road safety. The court held that OSMV madean error when it adopted an absolute standard which was not supported byevidence.23
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