STEER DRIVING · SYDNEY
This article is written for GPs and other medical practitioners on the Gold Coast and in Queensland who find themselves needing to make a decision about a patient's fitness to drive. It covers when to refer, how to complete Form F3712, and how the OT driving assessment fits into the process.
The GP's role in fitness to drive in Queensland
In Queensland, GPs and other treating doctors are central to the fitness-to-drive process. Under the Austroads Guidelines (the national medical standards for driver licensing), doctors have a responsibility to:
Identify when a patient's condition may affect their driving
Advise the patient about their obligations to report the condition to Queensland Transport and Main Roads (TMR)
Complete the Medical Certificate for Motor Vehicle Driver (Form F3712) when required
Make a clinical judgement about fitness to drive, and refer for further assessment where appropriate
Importantly, Queensland law permits health professionals to notify TMR if they believe a patient's condition is likely to affect their ability to drive safely. The fine for a driver who fails to self-report can be more than $9,600.
When to consider an OT driving assessment
Form F3712 requires you to indicate one of three clinical judgements:
The patient meets the medical standards and can continue driving
The patient requires further assessment (usually an OT driving assessment)
The patient does not meet the medical standards and should not drive
The middle option is where the OT driving assessment becomes relevant. You're typically in this situation when:
The condition is likely to affect driving, but you can't be sure without a practical assessment. Driving is a complex functional task, and clinical examination doesn't always reveal how a condition translates to on-road performance. This is particularly common with cognitive conditions (dementia, brain injury, stroke), progressive neurological conditions (Parkinson's, MS), and physical conditions affecting motor control.
The patient has multiple factors that together may affect driving. Individually, mild cognitive changes, some physical limitations, and medication effects might each seem minor. In combination, they may be significant.
The patient disputes your clinical judgement. An independent OT assessment provides a clear, objective basis for decision-making.
A change has occurred. A new diagnosis, progression of existing disease, new medication, or an incident may warrant reassessment.
The patient is a learner driver with a relevant condition. For patients with intellectual disability, autism, ADHD, or other conditions that may affect learning to drive, an OT assessment early in the process can guide the approach and funding pathways.
Common referral conditions
Not an exhaustive list, but the most common include:
Neurological: stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, brain injury, brain tumour.
Cognitive: dementia, mild cognitive impairment, delirium recovery.
Physical: amputation, spinal cord injury, significant musculoskeletal conditions, post-surgical conditions with lasting impact.
Developmental: intellectual disability, autism, ADHD (for learner drivers or when driving difficulties are present).
Other: diabetes with significant complications, significant vision changes (in conjunction with optometry/ophthalmology), drivers with multiple age-related conditions.
The Austroads Guidelines provide specific thresholds for each condition. For conditions where you're unsure, referring for an OT assessment is almost always the safer option.
Completing Form F3712
The Medical Certificate for Motor Vehicle Driver (Form F3712) is available from Queensland Transport and Main Roads. Some practical tips:
Be specific about the condition. "Cognitive decline" is less useful than "Mild Alzheimer's dementia, diagnosed [date]."
Document the clinical reasoning. If indicating an OT assessment is needed, a sentence or two explaining why is sufficient, for example, "Patient has mild cognitive impairment affecting working memory. Driving safety unclear without functional assessment."
Include relevant medications. Particularly medications that may affect driving (sedatives, opioids, anti-epileptics, anti-parkinsonian medications).
Submit to TMR. The completed form can be submitted electronically via the Queensland Health professional online service, or emailed to mcr@tmr.qld.gov.au.
Provide a copy to the patient and the OT. The patient needs a copy, and the OT will want the clinical context for their assessment.
How to refer to Steer Driving
Referrals can come directly from GPs, specialists, or patients themselves (with the completed Form F3712).
Step 1: Complete Form F3712 and submit to TMR.
Step 2: Provide the patient with a copy of the form and a referral letter, or send directly to referral@steerdriving.com.au.
Step 3: The patient (or you) submits a referral at steerdriving.com.au/referral.
Step 4: Steer Driving contacts the patient to arrange the assessment and confirm funding.
Step 5: The assessment is completed.
Step 6: Steer Driving provides a written report to you, TMR, and the patient.
What you'll receive in the report
The OT report provides:
Clinical context. The patient's relevant medical history, medications, and referring information.
Off-road assessment findings. Results of vision screening, cognitive assessment (including standardised tool scores), and physical assessment.
On-road observations. Detailed notes on driving performance, with specific examples relevant to the referral.
Recommendation. Fit to drive, fit to drive with conditions, driving lessons and reassessment recommended, vehicle modifications needed, or not fit to drive.
Supporting reasoning. The clinical basis for the recommendation.
Follow-up. Recommended reassessment intervals for progressive conditions.
Cross-border referrals
Steer Driving covers the Gold Coast and Northern NSW. If you have patients in Northern NSW (Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Ballina, Lismore and surrounds), the OT assessment process is the same, but the referral goes through Transport for NSW rather than Queensland TMR, and the NSW Fitness to Drive form is used instead of Form F3712.
If you're unsure which process applies, get in touch and we can clarify.
Reassessment timing
For progressive conditions, periodic reassessment is appropriate:
Dementia: Annually at minimum, sometimes more frequently.
Parkinson's disease: Annually, adjusted based on progression.
Stable post-stroke or post-brain injury: Depends on recovery trajectory, typically 12 months post-initial-assessment.
The Austroads Guidelines provide condition-specific guidance.
Contact
If you have questions about a specific patient, or want to discuss whether referral is appropriate, you can contact Steer Driving at referral@steerdriving.com.au.
Referring a patient for an OT driving assessment on the Gold Coast? Steer Driving provides mobile OT driving assessments across the Gold Coast, Northern NSW, and Sydney, with comprehensive reports suitable for your clinical records and TMR or Transport for NSW submission.
This article was written by Elise, an AHPRA-registered Occupational Therapist and driver assessor. Elise is the founder of Steer Driving, a mobile OT driving assessment practice.
FAQ Section
When should a GP refer a patient for an OT driving assessment in Queensland? When a medical condition may affect driving but the impact can't be determined by clinical examination alone. Common triggers include cognitive conditions, progressive neurological conditions, post-stroke or post-brain injury, and complex multi-factor situations.
What form do I need to complete for a fitness-to-drive referral in Queensland? The Medical Certificate for Motor Vehicle Driver (Form F3712). It's submitted to Queensland Transport and Main Roads and asks you to indicate whether the patient meets medical standards, requires further assessment, or does not meet standards.
How long does the OT driving assessment take to arrange and complete? Standard referrals are typically completed within 2 to 4 weeks. The assessment itself takes 2 to 3 hours, with a written report provided within approximately 10 working days.
Can the GP refer directly, or does the patient need to self-refer? Either works. A GP can refer directly by providing the completed Form F3712 and referral letter to referral@steerdriving.com.au. Patients can also self-refer once they have the completed form.
Do you cover Northern NSW as well as the Gold Coast? Yes. Steer Driving covers the Gold Coast, Northern NSW, and Sydney. For Northern NSW patients, the referral goes through Transport for NSW rather than Queensland TMR.
How often should I reassess a patient with a progressive condition? Generally annually for conditions like dementia and Parkinson's disease. The Austroads Guidelines provide condition-specific guidance, and the OT report will recommend a review interval.
STEER DRIVING · GOLD COAST & SYDNEY
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