Drivers licence

[CallumR85]

Hey, I hope everyone is well and have been enjoying the glorious weather? Just wondering, who is it I need to speak to, to get conformation or a letter saying I'm fit to drive again? I'm still not technically discharged from neurology so wasn't sure if it's them or my GP. Also, how long would I need to wait? Desperate to get back on the road.

[CallumR85]

Also, in other news I decided in February that it wasn't working out in my currant job so I, off the cuff, applied for a new one more suited to the new me and passed the interview. I've two weeks left in my existing job and start new one on the 8th June. They know all about my accident and injury and are bending over backwards to make sure I'm set up for success with them. Exciting times ahead I think.

[catrabb1t in reply to CallumR85]

Callum I meant to say congrats on getting a new job and one that you feel will suit you better. That's great.

[CallumR85 in reply to catrabb1t]

Thanks a million. It's all getting real now. Got 6 more working days left and it's all over after 8 years. A bit of time off then all go again. I'm actually excited for a new challenge, worrying if I've made the right choice but still excited all the same 🙂

[paxo05]

Hi, Like a lot of things it depends. Contacting your gp is a good start. They may pass it onto your consultant if they are the main ones treating you.

Then again did you have your licence removed or voluntarily give it up. Or did you just stop driving on "doctors orders".

This will dictate how you get it back to a degree.

I voluntarily stopped driving, OK it was an easy choice I had all on walking. So I thought once ready and declared medically fit I could just carry on where I left off, but no.

I had an inkling I would have trouble with the clutch but had decided to only drive autos.

I ended up having a block of lessons then having to attend a medical and an assessment of my driving.

Thankfully I passed all be it downgraded to driving only automatics.

This may not be your route as I have known some loosing their licence and regaining them with just a medical fitness letter.

Contact your gp first as a starting point. Also headway may have info about procedures where you live.

Oh and good luck with the new job,

Pax

[cat3]

It was a much easier ride for me than for Paxo as my hospital had an agreement with DVLA where each patient would sign an agreement to refrain from driving after discharge until deemed medically fit to do so.

At my 6 month review my neurosurgeon gave me the all clear and DVLA were notified. I drove off-road for a couple of days and found my judgement and reflexes unaffected.

Maybe emailing your neuro team for proof of fitness to drive will be the easiest route ; ask for the consultant if possible as it'll carry more weight. You're obviously coping well to be back in work ; hope your change of job works out well.

Good luck Callum.. Cat x

[Lottierose1]

Hi Callum I was advised by my neurologist to inform DVLA that I should stop driving while recovering. DVLA have a medical form which I filled out and sent them. I didn’t receive a reply because of the usual excuse (pandemic) but I think they contacted my neurologist for my medical history. After about 6 months I applied for a new license and was pleased to receive it .

Hope this helps and good luck.

[Painting-girl]

Hi Callum, I stopped driving voluntarily, because I wasn't safe to drive, but did not relinquish my licence ( still not sure that was the correct thing to do - probably should have handed it in?). Asked my rehab neurology team about it when I felt better, and was close to discharge - the consultant advised me to contact DVLA - but advised that if I felt fatigue within ten minutes of starting a journey I was not fit to drive - whether I had the ok from DVLA or not . I completed the DVLA forms ( if you see a neurologist and a neuropsychiatrist you need both the mental health form and the usual by one - they really need to fix that..) and I got the ok to drive from DVLA a few months later - they basically just write to your doctors for information to make a decision on.

The other big point to remember, is every time you get behind the wheel, the onus is on you to decide whether you are fit to drive or not - it's an offence to drive if you are not fit to do so - letter from DVLA in back pocket notwithstanding.

Oh forgot to add, that once you get the go ahead from the DVLA, make sure you check with your insurance company, and declare it on new car insurance applications when you switch companies.

[Pairofboots]

Hi Callum. Depending on the type of injury and on advice from the treating Dr, it may not be necessary to inform DVLA, although you are legally bound to notify them of any condition that may prevent you from driving safely. The consultant should advice you. In some cases you maybe adviced to not drive for 28 days following in the first instance.

[Catperson18]

Morning Callum, I had my accident in July last year and wrote to the DVLA in August. I had a letter back in Feb saying they were happy for me to drive, annoyingly (well only regarding driving) I had a Cranioplasty in March so that has re set the clock. If you haven’t already you need to inform the dvla but DO NOT send your actual license. From what I have read you may be able to drive under section 88 if your Surgeon has given you the all clear (although typical DVLA it is a grey area). To be honest I wouldn’t bother with the Dr, mine didn’t want to put his name to me driving and referred me to my hospital.

[CallumR85]

Thanks for all the info guys, I think I'm going to contact neurology first and see what they say. I had a face to face appointment with the neuro psychologist on Friday just gone and asked her but even she wasn't sure about what the right way to go about it is. Def sounds like a very grey area with all your different experiences of it. I'll let you know how I got on, 🤞

[Teazymaid]

I had to stop driving and the dvla contacted my GP and Neurologist . I have a minimum of 6months from accident ( brain bleeds broken skull ,neck and clavicle ) before I could drive but it was 10 months before I got the all clear and was well enough to drive … I kept ringing the DVLA which takes approximately 1hr to get though ans they just kept saying they were waiting for meds report .. I also rang GP ans neurologist as I think it gets put at the bottom of the pile …

[Moiford]

Hi Callum, i'm still fighting to get my license back after 2 1/2 yrs!! I had SAH in Oct 2019 and other complications, brain surgery, mini stroke etc etc. Anyway, because of brain surgery the hospital automatically informed DVLA who revoked my license straight away. I have recovered really well (eventually) but have been left with peripheral vision loss on my righthand side which is the reason for not getting it back. I'm still awaiting a result from my 3rd eye test back in Nov 21 and when I eventually got throughto DVLA ( which has been a challenge on its own!) I was told it was still waiting to be looked at by the medical team, this was in March!!🤨 I must admit that i've lost all hope and confidence in ever driving again which has really affected my life in many ways, including working again so I wish you lots of luck.

[cyclinghu]

Hello Callum - yes, this spring is wonderful - hope you continue to make good progress. I had my licence revoked after my TBI for a minimum period of 6 months - I was told I would have to reapply with the necessary forms plus a letter from the hospital reporting my condition at time of discharge. My GP also wrote on my behalf to DVLA. I reapplied 6 weeks before my 6 months was up. Unfortunately DVLA have been having awful problems due to staff shortages, industrial action and of course Covid! I finally received my licence 9.5 months after my injury although I have lost my HGV and PSV entitlement. Like most other things, I now find driving totally exhausting and so limit my journeys as much as possible. Longer journeys are now either broken or shared with my girlfriend (the shocking cost of fuel now ensures I drive less and journeys are as short as possible!! ). I wish you well and hope you get this satisfactorily resolved soon.

[HavingAlook1]

I’m sort of glad no one said anything to DVLA or mentioned it to me about this driving licence thing ?Had my accident years ago now, but never had it removed anyway.

Wish you all the best of luck.

[lcd8]

Each time I've had surgery to replace a blocked Shunt the hospital told me that I'm legally obliged to inform the DVLA. It felt awful returning my license and completing their forms and then having multiple long conversations with advisors at the DVLA. But after the 6 months (which seems perhaps something of a standard) I was advised to reapply and got it back - thank heavens.

[CallumR85]

I've spent roughly 2 hours on the phone but feel I may have made progress. Phoned neurology first who told me they don't provide any letter for DVLA but will fill in any paperwork they are sent from them. I then phoned DVLA who advised they never received the form I sent them in November. The guy I spoke with took all the details and has officially suspended my licence. I now have to send the original form to them again within 14 days and once they have it they will make further enquiries with GP and consultant and get back to me at some point with an update if I can just go back to driving, have to do a semi retest after lessons or if they are going to stop me driving for good. Someone pass me the Gin!

[catrabb1t]

Hi Callum, it's good you made progress with finding out info, but the response you got is frustrating for you in more ways than one!

I have a similar situation to you on some points. In my case I was told upon my hospital discharge in Jan 2022 that I had to inform the DVLA and their form told me to return my licence. (I have never received a reply/acknowledgement from them and wonder if mine too has gone missing...).

At my hospital Review I was told due to the anti seizure medication I was given, the DVLA has a blanket approach and it would be 12 months from starting the meds or 12 months from not having a seizure. (I am weaning off this medication now as it has had a sedating affect on me and it was precautionary as no one is sure if I have ever had a seizure - this means the 12 months will restart from the date of last taking the tablet which means I can start the process of getting my licence back 17 months after surgery). This seems such a long time away!

Possibly similar to you, I have to be re-tested. Mine will be a medical fitness to drive assessment (this was written in my discharge report from the OT rehab team). Flip!!

My main issues are short term memory limits, concentration span, startle response and high levels of fatigue. Possibly some peripherary optical but they seem to be improving. It's early days for me and I'm still not sure what's what, yet if you met me in the street I would seem fine!

Good luck.

[john-boy-92]

You will need a letter from your GP, although other registered clinicians will be able to do it if the law is changed. If your car licence has been revoked - different for a Section 88 - your GP will need to write that you're not affected.

If your peripheral or central vision has been affected, your GP has to confirm that you are not affected by ten items. The difficult one is that you have full clinical functional adaption to the visual diasability, as there isn't a test. It's possible that you will be given a PDAL and asked to do an assessment at a disability assessment centre. That will be up to two hours of strength and cognitive testing, followed by a 50 minute driving assessment in an unfamiliar car on an unfamiliar route. At least you will get time for pre-assessment driving refresher lessons. Until fairly recently you weren't allowed training, so after 12 months or more of not driving, you had to drive an unfamiliar car on unfamiliar roads. That was because the DVLA disagreed with legislation that did not require tuition with an ADI in a car with dual controls. There was a Judicial Review that said time must be given for lessons. Cognitive tests may be things like drawing a clock face, or the Rookwood Driving Battery tests.

I submitted my application for a PDAL to the DVLA Medical Group at the end off June 2021, with a supporting letter from my GP, an Esterman chart, and various evidence. I'm still waiting to hear from the DVLA Medical Group.

[catrabb1t in reply to john-boy-92]

John your info is very useful, it is more info than I have seen anywhere.

My sister dealt with the paperwork for me and returned my licence to the DVLA because their form said I had to under brain surgery.

Is there a difference between suspended and revoked when I re-apply? Which one is Mine?

The DVLA do not yet know that the OT discharge team has recommended a fit to drive re-test. I am only eligible to begin this process in from May next year.

The timescale of your attempts to get your licence back is shocking. Is this because of backlogs?

Good luck

[john-boy-92 in reply to catrabb1t]

If the DVLA have not advised you that your Group 1 licence (car and motorcycle) is revoked, I assume that your licence is under Section 88. If that is so and, a registered clinician has not told you that you must not drive, you have a valid licence (see the "Contact DVLA" web site). However, if the medical team have told you that you should do an assessment, that means that you should not drive. If you have been told you can drive, you must check with your insurer.

The Driving Assessment will depend on the driving assessor and occupational therapist; it can go either way. If they report favourably to the DVLA Medical Group (DMG), DMG can still turn down the application for a licence. My driving assessor would say "an advanced driver would have...": I'm not an advanced driver. I was directed down a street that was just wider than the car (cars parked both sides) until a vehicle partly blocked the road. I had to reverse up to and around a blind tee junction. I did that with no problem, but still failed.

The DVLA Medical Group have had delays and maladministration before COVID. Read "Driven To Despair..." published in October 2016 by the PHSO. DVLA advised a junior minister that training would be given before an assessment, and that was the answer he gave to a parliamentary question and recorded. That time for training was not implemented: parliament was misled. In the past couple of years there was a Judicial Review that found pre-assessment training must be given. The Independent Complaints Assessor remit does not include DVLA policy, so they cannot comment on this aspect in complaints. He did however, include a DVLA meeting minute, where the medical advisor is recorded as saying that drivers with PDALs were a "huge risk" as they might drive without an instructor in a dual control car. It's odd that DVLA don't make that comment about people with a normal provisional licence. The PHSO were scathing about the DVLA in the case on this link: decisions.ombudsman.org.uk/...

[catrabb1t in reply to john-boy-92]

thanks John. I will digest this over time. And it is always useful to know the back story.

Your info reminds me that one difference for me since surgery is not processing info the same as I used to.

Have you managed to get your training lessons sorted out or has that caused the delay?

[john-boy-92 in reply to catrabb1t]

You can't organise pre-assessment driving lessons until the DVLA Medical Group give the go ahead, you have a confirmed date at an Assessment Centre and, DVLA have issued a provisional disability assessment licence (PDAL). At the moment, I don't even have an acknowledgement or a medical case number. I'm typing this whilst the phone is on hands-free waiting for a medical advisor to answer. At least getting this far is progress. To read that the DVLA are processing revoked licence applications this month is laughable. Ten months and counting!

[CallumR85 in reply to john-boy-92]

That's some great info. Thank you

[john-boy-92 in reply to CallumR85]

Hi following my email, I spoke to someone who had brain surgery recently. His consultant said he must not drive for six months. If at the end of that period he gets the OK from the consultant, he can drive. A neighbour had encephalitis that put him in a comma, and afterwards he had to learn to walk again. His test by the hospital consultant was to count backwards from 100 in 7s. He was then told he could drive again.

Off subject, my next door neighbour is 86 and has an inoperable tumour on her aorta: she drives and says she will pull in if her aorta bursts!

I managed to speak to somone in DVLA Medical Group (look out for unicorns) today, so at least my correspondence hasn't been lost. I still anticipate that it will end up in the Magistrates' Court though. As the last complaint to the DVLA was looked at by the same person in stages 1 and 2: they are meant to be different people.

The moral here is surrender your licence instead of letting it be revoked and, get reviewed for driving by a hospital consultant. I didn't do that.

[Painting-girl]

Hi Callum - forgot to add, that once you get the go ahead from the DVLA, make sure you check with your insurance company that they are happy (my first one was) and declare it on new car insurance applications when you switch companies instead of renewing. I spotted recently (when sorting out my renewal) that different companies have different criteria for this. Incidentally, to save money while waiting to apply / get the go ahead from DVLA, consider keeping vehicles off road with a SORN - I only belatedly realised that I should have done that.

[Skulls]

I had the verbal agreement of the GP to resume driving after six weeks because the general anaesthetic hangs around in the blood if one has undergone surgery. As I have not received any form of neuro-rehab, I have no neurology team or specialist with an interest. I was careful to notify my insurer as I had erroneously been told that my hypoxia had been a stroke. I now no longer have a car.