Utah Driver Education

Drivers' Responsibilities

The 1996 Utah State Legislature reaffirmed these responsibilities* related to physical, mental or emotional impairments of drivers:

1. Drivers are responsible to refrain from driving if "they have, or develop, or suspect that they have developed a physical, mental, or emotional impairment which may affect driving safety."

2. Drivers in such a situation are expected to seek competent medical evaluation and advice about the significance of the impairment as it relates to driving safety.

3. Drivers are responsible for reporting to the Driver License Division if "they have or develop, or suspect a physical, mental, or emotional impairment which may affect driving safety."

Health Care Professionals' Responsibilities

The same legislation applies to Utah health care professionals in these ways:*

1. Health care professionals may be requested by their patients to make reports to the Driver License Division about impairments which may affect driving safety, but the final responsibility for issuing a driver license lies with the Driver License Division.

2. In addition to making accurate reports when authorized by their patients, health care professionals are expected to counsel their patients about how their condition affects safe driving. For example, if patients are put on medications which may cause changes in alertness or coordination, their health care professional should advise them not to drive at least until a dosage is established which will not affect safe driving. Or, if visual acuity drops, they should similarly be advised, at least until corrective action has been taken to improve their vision. The following quotation from the 1996 law recognizes this important function:

"Health care professionals who care for patients with physical, mental, or emotional impairments that may affect their driving safety, whether defined by published guidelines and standards or not, are responsible for making available to their patients without reservation their recommendations and appropriate information related to driving safety and responsibilities."