Safe Driving

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) supports efforts that would evaluate and reduce motor vehicle fatalities and injuries due to driver distraction or impairment. These distractions may include but are not limited to the use of cellular phones while driving, children without appropriate required safety restraints, worsening eyesight or physical limitations, medication side effects, cognitive impairments, and other driver distractions or impairments frequently cited as causes for accidents. The AAFP encourages family physicians to include safe driving as part of preventive health care discussions. 

The AAFP supports national efforts to ban the use of text messaging while operating motor vehicles or machinery. The AAFP also supports legislation that conveys indemnity protections against liability claims for healthcare providers who make good faith reports of impairment concerns to appropriate licensing authorities. (2001) (January 2022 COD)