[Psychiatric diseases and driving fitness (author's transl)]

Mental factors frequently play a decisive role in the conditional setup of many accidents. Analysis of the mental factors determining the cause of accidents show these to be by far often mental factors of a non-pathological nature, such as personality factors, disordered concentration and alertness in conflict situations, overstrain and fatigue, than factors conditioned by illness, e.g. as associated with depression or schizophrenia. Psychological alterations in subjects of advanced age constitute a border area of high significance in medical science concerned with traffic safety. In the consulting room, particular attention should be paid to the recognition of potential risk constellations in traffic precipitated by alcohol or drugs.