Training program for driver licensing medical screening : instructor lesson plans

NHTSA · 1976 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This document presents instructor lesson plans for a training program designed to prepare motor vehicle license examiners to perform medical screening of driver applicants. Developed by Innovatrix, Inc. for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 1976, the program addresses the critical need to identify drivers with medical or mental impairments that increase accident risk. The authors argue that while full physical examinations for all applicants are cost-ineffective, relying solely on applicant honesty is insufficient. Consequently, the training aims to equip examiners with the skills to detect signs and symptoms of potentially hazardous conditions, thereby facilitating appropriate referrals to physicians or medical advisory boards. The curriculum is structured into two main parts: Part I covers medical knowledge across six bodily systems (cardiovascular, neurological, ophthalmological, mental/emotional, age-related, and general medicine), while Part II focuses on task-related skills, including screening methods, interview techniques, record usage, and license restrictions. The instructional design utilizes a combination of student study guides, instructor lesson plans, and audiovisual materials, such as films produced by the American Medical Association. The training emphasizes that examiners are not qualified to diagnose diseases but are responsible for observing specific indicators, judging their severity, and initiating referrals when necessary. The program is flexible, adaptable to state-specific policies, and can be conducted over two or three days. Key findings and instructional content highlight that individuals with cardiovascular disease have an accident rate approximately double the expected norm, making this system a primary focus of the training. The lesson plans detail specific signs and symptoms examiners must recognize, such as loss of consciousness, unexplained chest pain, choking, and severe dizziness. The text provides explicit guidance on distinguishing between trivial observations and significant indicators requiring action. For instance, profuse sweating in cold conditions is flagged as significant, whereas brief sweating is not. The training also instructs examiners on what they should not do, specifically prohibiting them from diagnosing conditions, alarming applicants, or engaging in detailed medical discussions. Instead, their role is strictly limited to screening and referring. The significance of this program lies in its systematic approach to balancing public safety with the rights of competent drivers who may have medical handicaps. By training examiners to identify hazardous conditions without unnecessarily restricting safe drivers, the program seeks to reduce traffic deaths and injuries caused by impaired reaction times or medical episodes. The document underscores that the examiner’s primary duty is to screen for safety-relevant problems, ensuring that only those whose conditions constitute a hazard are removed from the roads, while others are licensed appropriately. This structured training represents a foundational step in improving the efficacy of medical screening within the driver licensing process.

Key finding

The training program equips license examiners with the ability to identify specific medical signs and symptoms that indicate potential driving hazards, allowing for targeted referrals for medical evaluation rather than blanket physical examinations for all applicants.

Methodology

other

Provenance

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Topics

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• licensing policy
• fitness to drive assessment
• medical conditions