Committee on Fitness to drive

At the request of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Health Council periodically issues advisory reports on developments in the field of medical standards for fitness to drive.

Thus, reports have appeared that address fitness to drive for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder, ADD and epilepsy. In each case, there are conflicting demands which need to be addressed explicitly or implicitly, between opportunities for individuals to participate in society through increased mobility on the one hand, and society's need for safety on the other. What scientific evidence exists for the various regulations and the criteria for medical fitness that they use? And to what extent is closer coordination between these regulations desirable or possible? Not only regulation at the national level is involved, but European Union directives and regulations also need to be taken into account. When necessary, an advice may even lead to an amendment of the pertinent legal regulation (Regeling Eisen Geschiktheid 2000 (Regulation Criteria Fitness to Drive 2000)).

This activity is a permanent part of the Healthcare domain.

The membership of the committee may differ from one advice to another. Because a permanent committee addresses more than one topic, potential conflicts of interests of committee members will be re-evaluated at the start of each advisory process. The composition of the Committee by advice can be found on the last page of the advisory report.

Members

  • Prof. R.C. van der Mast, Professor of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, chair
  • Dr. G.A. Donker, General Practitioner and  Epidemiologist, Nivel, Utrecht
  • Prof. J. Groeneweg, Professor ‘safety Assurance in healthcare’ TU Delft
  • Prof. J.B.L. Hoekstra, Emeritus Professor of Internal Medicine, Amsterdam UMC
  • Prof. S.M. Imhof, Eye doctor, UMC Utrecht
  • Prof. J. van der Naalt, Neurologist, UMC Groningen
  • Prof. M.J. Schalij, Professor of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden
  • Prof. F. Wegman, Professor of Traffic Safety, TU Delft

Observers:

  • R.A. Bredewoud MSc, physician, Head of the Medical Department, Central Office for Motor Vehicle Driver Testing, Rijswijk
  • Dr. K.C. Cheung, Koninklijke Nederlandse Maatschappij ter bevordering van Pharmacie, The Hague
  • E.L.M. van Dijk, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, The Hague
  • Dr. R. Kok, Central Office for Motor Vehicle Driver Testing, Rijswijk

Scientific secretary:

  • dr. K.T. van Hamersveld, Health Council, The Hague