Dvla driving assessment tomorrow

[Tebbs55]

hello after 15 months since my TBI , have a driving assessment in Harlow off road and I live near Rochester in Kent , DVLA refused to refer me to one 4.5miles from home just gave up battling with them , anyway it’s off road and no reason why , I’ve read on this forum that the assessment is a kind process very nervous tbh

[PumpkinTyke]

Hope all goes well for you

[Skulls]

Good luck Tebbs!

[Sifu]

good look 🙏🏽

[ftt1960]

I will be interested to hear how you get on, My assessment is in April, which will be two years after my accident. I have been driving and told by DVLA unless they tell me not to I can simply continue !!! I live in Ayrshire and my assessment is in Glasgow. It freaks me out as I only tend to drive on mainly quiet roads and choose not to drive in places I don’t know. I have always been a confident driver but TBIs take their toll. I may ask my partner to take me for a run around the centre. That said, I am currently not driving due to severe headaches and cottonwool in my head. I have developed hydrocephalus and am awaiting procedures to address this. My assessment may have to be delayed further. Pain in the backside when you are tring to buy a car but have no driver’s licence

[Tebbs55 in reply to ftt1960]

of course I will let you know how it goes thanks

[Pairofboots]

Hi, I recently had a driver assessment. It was on the road in an area I was not familiar with. The biggest problem I had was that the car was unfamiliar, and in my opinion was not really fit, breaks were almost nonexistent, and the clutch had to think if it was going to bite (I did point these issues out prior to beginning the assessment). They were looking to see how I read the road, and awareness of hazards. They were not looking to me to drive as if I was on a driving test. They just wanted to see that I was safe. This took about 40 minutes of driving. At the end they were happy that I was safe. Got to admit that I was worried before the assessment, but the the assessor and the accompanying OT, did their best to reassure me before starting. There were no unusual demands made, just what you would normally encounter on an average drive. I know you say your assessment is off-road, the same things will be assessed. Easier said than done, but try not to get too worried, it is just a day out. Good luck 🍀

[Tebbs55 in reply to Pairofboots]

thanks good to know

[ftt1960]

I assumed I’d be driving my own car, hmmm food for thought.

[Tebbs55]

it was an off road assessment I drove a driving school type car with a assessor which had dual controls , I passed although they aren’t allowed to say as reports go to dvla , anyway worse bit is I now need to do an on road assessment which will be in the next 2-3 months which could mean I will wait 18 months until my license , understand now but not at any point did anyone tell me that it is as only the first stop , gutted to be honest

[john-boy-92]

DVLA Medical Group seem to allow people to drive with medical conditions that are likely to raise eyebrows, but are a problem if your visual field is not compliant. Up until 2022, car drivers whose licence had been revoked, could not drive and had to wait at least 12 months before applying for a cognitive and driving assessment. They were not allowed driving refresher lessons before the driving assessment, and were tested in an unfamiliar car on an unfamiliar route. Failure of the driving test was / is effectively a permanent ban. My licence was revoked six years ago because a stroke had given me right side hemianopia. An application in 2022 for a provisional disability licence and retest was rejected, as my visual field has not improved to the standard of a person with normal eyesight. Specialist medical advice confirms that it is "...very unlikely..." that a normal visual field will return after twelve months. Unless things have changed, the DVLA Medical Group do not employ consultant eye specialists, but losing your licence due to eyesight means loss of independence and maybe employment. An Esterman test is the criterion, yet a published peer reviewed report states that it is not an adequate test of ability to drive safely.

The parliamentary Public Accounts Committee took evidence about the DVLA backlog last year. Their report will probably be published around the end of February, and I will be surprised if the DVLA Medical Group aren't critised. The PHSO published their report into the DVLA in October 2016, called "Driven to despair, how drivers have been let down by the DVLA" PHSO case P-001082 (available on the Internet) is in my opinion, typical of the DVLA approach.

[Tebbs55 in reply to john-boy-92]

thanks for the response in my case it’s the moderately serve brain injury that’s necessitated an off road assessment not that they have explained in any way shape or form , for me the DVLA have been woeful they have written to the wrong doctors at the wrong addresses , when I finally got them to write to a consultant they sent the wrong forms and it took him eight weeks to realise , they then sent me for an assessment 50 miles away and wouldn’t budge , I work with lots of different companies in my job but the DVLA are the worst and stuck in a 1970s mindset !

[john-boy-92 in reply to Tebbs55]

You have my sympathy. You could try complaining if you are very patient. DVLA have two complaint stages; it took eleven months for mine to get to the first stage. If you're not happy with the outcome of the second stage, you can ask for it to be referred to the Independent Complaint Assessors. However, if the complaint relates to DVLA policy, it's not in their remit, so you need to get your MP to send it to the PHSO. Currently, the PHSO take six to eight months to appoint a case officer. It can then be at least six months before there is a PHSO judgement.

You can try raising Freedom of Information Requests with the DVLA, but if you raise too many, you will be classified as vexatious and none of the requests will be answered.

A 1970 mind set The Road Traffic Act requires that drivers be given time for refresher lessons before an assessment. The expert panel advising the DVLA on vision said in March 2017 that drivers should have time for pre-assessment driving tuition. DVLA advised a Minister in response to a written parliamentary question that time would be provided. However, time was not given for pre-assment training until 2022. It was withheld, as according to an ICA source, DVLA disagreed with the "exceptional case" provision in legislation, as it did not require an instructor to be an ADI.

[Tebbs55 in reply to john-boy-92]

they revoked my license hence off road now waiting for them to write to me when the rest of the world use email , expect the on road to be fine but don’t know if they will need more tests after that , no transparency that’s for your help have learnt lots on this forum

[john-boy-92 in reply to Tebbs55]

As your licence is revoked, ask for a provisional disabilty assessment licence (PDAL) with time for pre-assessment driving refresher lessons. You should have at least six weeks.

At the assessment, I didn't have the cognitive test - Rookwood Driving Battery Test - nor the strength test, but I was required to do the electronically timed braking reaction timed test in a stationary car. The assessment was by an ADI and an occupational therapist for the entirety of the session. The occupational therapist was fine, but I can't say the same for the ADI. I made the mistake of being self-effacing and my comments were taken verbatim. If ever I get another assessment, I'll treat them like immigration officials at a destination airport.

[Tebbs55]

yes I’ve made an official complaint and mentioned at the end that talking to my MP will be the next step , thanks for your advise have spoken to the DVLA many times and not heard any compassion just the word no being used repeatedly!

[ftt1960]

This thread makes very interesting and worrying reading.

[Tebbs55 in reply to ftt1960]

Before my tbi I would have had a positive opinion of the DVLA , the minute they find you have a medical issue and once you surrender your license it’s a nightmare and they know it , I’ve made an official complaint but doubt they will help me , will keep updating as and when

[ftt1960 in reply to Tebbs55]

unfortunately I am probably going to have a shunt fitted and that is yet another notifiable medical issue. I could be on this rollercoaster for years.