RSA revise medical fitness to drive guidelines for mini-stroke sufferers
Sufferers of a mini-stroke will be off the road for just one week.
New evidence from the North Dublin Stroke Unit has found there is no basis for banning patients from driving for one month.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has revised its medical fitness to drive guidelines as a result.
Professor Desmond O'Neill from the National Office for Traffic Medicine says it is liberating for patients.
"We've worked out that the risk of recurrence of a disabling stroke falls very quickly...a minor-stroke, the risk falls by the end of the week," said Prof O'Neill
"So up to today we've been saying you should be off the road for four weeks.
"We're now saying you're off the road for one week. Which is really important for people getting back to work, for being in society, for their social contacts."
The RSA have announced the news alongside the publication of a new driver information leaflet - 'Your Health and Driving'.
The leaflet is aimed to help drivers "be more aware of the impact of health problems on their driving".
"When we think about how illness might affect our lives, we don’t always make the link as to how it might affect our driving," said Declan Naughton, Director of Driver Training and Licensing at the RSA.
"It's important that this connection is made because very often simple steps we take can allow us to drive safely and go about our normal daily lives.
"The practical information in this leaflet will support this."
