The National Transportation Safety Board wants a national system to collect accident data, including information regarding medical conditions of the drivers involved.

While alcohol abuse is common, the extent to which medical impairment contributes to the number of traffic accidents is not well defined, the board said.

Therefore, it recommended that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators develop a procedure to collect, evaluate and report data regarding the impact of drivers' medical conditions on traffic accidents.

Role for medical community
The NTSB also noted many physicians are not knowledgeable about their state's reporting policies or about the evaluation of a patient's fitness to drive.

So it recommended that medical schools include training on the driving risks associated with certain medical conditions and medications as well as proper driving fitness assessment techniques.

The board asked the Federation of State Medical Boards to ensure that continuing medical education requirements include a course addressing medical conditions and driving risks.

Role of enforcement
NTSB also said law-enforcement personnel are generally unaware that medical impairments can contribute to the occurrence of an accident. It is therefore important for officers to train to help them identify and refer medically high-risk drivers to the licensing authority for further assessment. 

The report recommended that the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies work with NHTSA, the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training and The American Medical Association to develop a training program to help police officers identify common medical conditions that can impair a driver's ability to operate a motor vehicle.