General information.
One of the common questions cancer care coordinators are often asked is “Is it still safe for me to drive….with a brain tumour/after brain surgery/while receiving treatment for my brain tumour?”
Laws in Australia require drivers to tell their Driver Licensing Authority (e.g. Vic Roads) about any permanent or long-term illness or injury that may impair their ability to drive. Ask your doctor for advice about the effect that any illness, disability or medical condition may have on your ability to drive safely, including any medicines you may be taking. Failure to report a medical condition or disability may put your life and the lives of others at risk, and may also affect your insurance cover.
Some common symptoms of brain tumours or side-effects from treatments for brain tumours can impact your ability to drive safely, for example, you should not drive for 3 months after brain surgery (craniotomy), and if you have experienced a seizure you need to wait at least 6 months before returning to driving and 12 months if you’ve had multiple seizures. If you’ve had a seizure you are required by law to notify Vic Roads. Failure to do this may have legal implications including affecting your insurance cover. If you’ve been prescribed anti-seizure medications you must continue to take them in order to safely return to driving.
Your doctor can advise you about your specific condition if you are unsure if you should report it or if there are any temporary restrictions you should follow. The Driver Licensing Authority (e.g. Vic Roads) may request information from your doctor to decide if you are medically fit to drive. A formal driving assessment may be required before returning to driving.
Driving Assessments.
If a formal driving assessment is required, these can be done by an Occupational Therapist, Neurologist or Rehabilitation specialist. Some hospitals have their own “ Fitness to Drive “ clinics. In some cases the Driver Licensing Authority (e.g. Vic Roads) is able to issue a conditional license. A conditional license means that you may continue to drive as long as certain conditions or restrictions are met. Conditions may include driving during daylight hours, the wearing of corrective lenses when driving or attending your doctor for a periodic review and providing a report to the Driver Licensing Authority (Vic Roads).
Recommended resources for more detailed information.
- Vic Roads: The Victorian Driving License Authority, Vic Roads, has a section of their website dedicated to how your health and medical conditions can impact your driving ability, including what you can do to stay safe on the road and how to report medical conditions or disabilities to Vic Roads. https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/licences/health-and-driving
- Assessing Fitness to Drive: The national driver medical standards “Assessing Fitness to Drive” set out the considerations and medical criteria for safe driving. They also guide the management of drivers with health conditions so that they may continue to drive for as long as it is safe to do so. The considerations relating to Neurological Conditions (including brain tumours and seizures) are covered in the PDF version from page 120. https://austroads.com.au/drivers-and-vehicles/assessing-fitness-to-drive
- Brainlink: The Brainlink website has a range of fact sheets available for families living with an acquired brain injury, including a Fact Sheet about Driving. https://blbrainlink.blob.core.windows.net/assets/contentpage_htmlcontent/Driving.pdf
General information in this resource was provided by a cancer care coordinator on the Brain Tumours Online team and is provided for general educational purposes. Please ask your doctor about your specific condition and circumstances.