Driving and reporting Afib?

[Guitar335]

Has anyone ever reported their Afib to DVLA? or been told by their doctor to do so? or medication?

gov.uk/arrhythmia-and-driving

It looks to me like you do not have to but would be interested in peoples experiences and thoughts

[bantam12]

I had to tell them when I had my pacemaker but they weren't really interested, just got a letter saying I could carry on driving.

[Hidden]

Unless you have experienced blackouts and/or dizziness driving is not normally a problem. As a precaution, you should notify your insurers. The rules are different for public service and heavy goods vehicles.

[S11m]

I had to tell them I had a pacemaker... and I did not get a reply.

I think they like to insist that you get an annual check-up... but this did not work for me, as I had the check-up in August, and by the November the battery in the pacemaker was almost flat: so the pacemaker was not working properly. It seems that reading a volt meter is too complicated for some medics.

[BobD Volunteer]

AH this old sore again. The advice to drivers and advice to doctors can seem conflicting and seems to change on a regular basis.

If your AF is distracting or causes incapacity (some people have fainting etc. ) then you must not drive and must advise DVLA of your condition using form H1. This much should be obvious. Failure to do this could result in a fine of up to £1000. Similarly your insurance will be invalid if you fail to declare any DVLA notifiable condition.

The first question on H1 is something like "has your doctor told you not to drive"after which (if no) not much else seems to be needed but at least you have ticked the boxes and covered yourself. The problem with most insurance companies is that they will do anything to reject a claim so it is beholden on use all to do as much as we can to protect ourselves. Of course this all changes if you are a professisonal driver (HGV or PSV) when much more needs to be done and licenses may be suspended during investigation.

[Ecki in reply to BobD]

My insurance company for my motorhome weren't interested when I tried to tell them, as it's not DVLA notifiable. The DVLA do classify a motorhome as a private HGV.....

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Ecki]

Not for hire or reward which is different Ecki . Must be a huge motorhome to be over the weight limit. I gave up my grandfather rights for HGV as a) I had no intention of drving one after I passed 70 and b) no intention of having to take a medical.

[Desanthony in reply to BobD]

Me too BobD No way I was going to do any HGV driving or the medical at my age.

[CDreamer]

Yes, it was compulsory as I need to report 4 conditions. For just the AF it was really easy self declaration. There was an automatic £1K fine but haven’t checked recently & they are always changing the protocols. My insurers didn’t want to know & said they rely upon DVLA declarations - if you don’t declare to DVLA any condition that you are required to report To DVLA your insurance is invalid.

Basically what Bob said.

[Clarrie]

I had a pacemaker fitted in June and was told not to drive for a month afterwards. I informed the DVLA and received an acknowledgement saying they had contacted my cardiologist but were not expecting to receive a reply for 12 weeks. After a month I could continue to drive and they would let me know when they had heard from the cardiologist. I also informed my insurance company who asked if I had informed the DVLA and said they would make a note of it on my file.

[Cally53]

My car insurance company said that they didn't need to know because as long as I had told the DVLA and they were happy, then my insurance was valid.

[purpleswimmer]

I checked with cardiologist twice and told no problem with driving. I have thought of informing my insurance just in case but no legal requirement

X

[Maggimunro]

I was told I had to report it and they opened a medical file on me but once all the boxes were ticked I received a letter say I was OK to drive. So as Bob says, it behoves you to cross all the t’s and dot the i’s so you are covered.

[Jajarunner]

My GP checked and said it was fine to drive AS LONG AS YOU FEEL WELL ENOUGH TO DO SO. Otherwise, you are driving without due care xx

[anncrn]

Yes reported to DVLA just to keep insurance company happy. Reply came back as no problem to drive.