REVIEWS   

Minerva Psichiatrica 1999 December;40(4):271-80

Copyright © 1999 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Psychiatric visits for forensic assessment of fitness to drive during the use of psychoactivating drugs

Remoli V., Urso R., Magnolfi G., Fatigante G.

On the basis of the legislation currently in force in Italy regarding the psychophysical requisites necessary to drive, the authors study the procedural aspects of forensic inquiries aimed at ascertaining the said requisites in cases of use of psychotropic substances. Attention was focused in particular on the psychiatric visit which is regarded as an essential stage in the correct forensic procedure in all situations of suspected use of psychoactivating substances and/or mental disturbance. This article discusses those aspects of the psychiatric visit specifically for forensic assessment and the diagnostic aspects correlated to the use of psychotropic substances. Lastly, the authors underline the importance of ensuring that the centres performing these assessment should adopt the same methodological protocol and they list the important points for correct procedure.