Driving licence revoked after a stroke

[john-boy-92]

Strokes can cause a permanent defect in your vision and, if you are a car driver or motorcyclist, your driving licence can be revoked or the renewal refused. This happens to thousands every year. The Government adopted into legislation, an EU Directive that means car drivers and motorcyclists must have at least 120 degrees horizontal field of vision. In 2018 the DVLA assured a junior Minister that if those drivers and riders met stated criteria, they would be given a provisional disability assessment licence (PDAL) that enabled them to receive up to three months driver training followed by a cognitive and driving assessment. If that assessment was successfu, licence could be returned. This was confirmed in the answer to a written parliamentary question in May 2018. However, PDALs were only issed for the day of the assessment: drivers were in a strange car, on roads that they didn't know, and had not driven for at least twelve months. Not surprisingly, few regained their licence.

In February 2020, the DVLA decided that it would provide time for driver training before an assessment. However, that policy would not be back dated. Drivers who had received received a PDAL before February 2020 would not be given a new PDAL for training and a reassessment. If this affects you or a relative, write to your MP to complain.