Hi all. You've been super helpful before so wonder if you can help with another question. One for the UK based folk.
Question about informing the DVLA of a TBI. Has anyone navigated this process please?
I know I need to inform them and have looked at their form. I'm not currently well enough to drive, but I hope to get back to it in time (what time - obviously noone knows). I've currently had friends or family drive my car every few weeks to keep it ticking over.
I'm not sure if I'm best off informing the DVLA now - because if the whole process will take a long time, or they're likely to stop me driving for a certain period, I'd rather get on with that - or to wait until I'm a bit better and can say that it's affecting me less than it is currently (I assume they speak to my GP, who probably wouldn't say I'm good to drive at present, and currently I'd agree with her).
I'd been following the second approach, assuming I'm not doing any harm since I'm not driving, but I've just realised my car insurance is up for renewal in three weeks, and I assume there would be complications in taking out a *new* policy without having told them or the DVLA that I'm currently not fit to drive. (Then again, I don't know if they would even insure me..? I'm the keeper and policyholder and only regular driver of my car; none of the other occasional drivers live at my address.)
Does anyone have experience of navigating this please? I've looked at the DVLA form but don't even know how to answer it ("has your vision changed?" The opticians told me my eyes were healthy, but I have photophobia, and am not sure if that counts?? No blurred vision).
I tried Headway but they just told me to call the DVLA.
Realising anything car-related is causing me loads of anxiety ATM (the darn thing caused me the TBI in the first place - and don't get me started on the cost of running a car you can't drive, AND having to pay for expensive trains and taxis instead...!)
Cheers.
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Ideogram
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Hi Ideogram. My partner who had a severe TBI 1-1/2 years ago navigated this whole issue in 2023.
Despite some of the advice you will receive on here to the contrary and people saying you don't need to tell the DVLA, the law is very clear with regards driving after a TBI. All the information is there on the .GOV site to help you understand requirements, and there is a comprehensive section on health conditions and driving which lists all kinds of conditions and what you need to do for each one with regards informing the DVLA.
We completed a form B1 and my partner's license was revoked with her having to return it to the DVLA.
She subsequently passed all cognitive tests at neuro rehab and was discharged by the neuro surgeons who treated her. There was no history of epilepsy from her injuries. Eye tests were all clear. Her BPPV was successfully treated. We applied to have her license reinstated just prior to the minimum 6 months after her TBI which you are allowed to do in the hope you get the license back right on 6 months, and she had her license reinstated at 7 months after the DVLA received information from the neuro surgeons and her GP along with the reports from neuro rehab. She informed her insurer of the TBI and her insurance did not increase as she had been cleared as fit to drive by the DVLA.
If you have had any epilepsy your license will be revoked for a minimum of 12 months from the last episode and you must be clear of any epilepsy episodes for the 12 months.
On her first outing in the car we went for a short local drive with me as a passenger. She gradually stepped up her driving to city driving and travelling to and from work. 12 months after her TBI she drove solo back home to Scotland for a visit (a 5-1/2 hour drive each way). It is/was daunting for us, but following all the processes we had to, it did not take long as the DVLA completed their due diligence quickly.
If you don't tell your insurance company you have had a TBI you are effectively driving uninsured, so any accident could cause you and any other parties a lot of problems. Similarly if you haven't informed the DVLA when you should, this could be serious.
Happy to help with any questions you have as I pretty much did all the forms and communications with the DVLA for my partner, and navigated the whole system for her.
I would advise the DVLA asap. I had a TBI in 2011 and the process to do so is as per the first response by CaelanT85. The process for it to be reinstated can take some time (due to lack of government funding to DVLA) and I had to get my local MP involved to help speed the process up...
Suggest one of your trusted friends or family members deals with this ASAP. Your current insurance will be invalid if you drove without telling them. And heaven forbid if someone even knocked into your door or something trivial.Wishing you well.
Thank you. I have no intention of driving right now at all, but was trying to keep holding a policy so I could put others on it to drive my car every now and again. Seems even that might not be possible now.
I actually got my car removed from my place in case I "forgot" I wasn't allowed to drive.Took an extra 3 months to get my licence back after the statutory 6 months.
You could well be eligible to a free bus pass in the meantime.
You can still have your car insured and add people to the insurance. You just can't drive it yourself. If your car is kept off your property it needs to be insured anyway. We didn't tell my partners insurance about her TBI until she got her license back as she was not driving the car. I would use it occassionally.
Thanks; I'm the policyholder though and only driver of it at this address (got a family member on it but she lives three hours away) so whether they'll let me get a new policy in that situation I don't know, especially when I'll have to tell them 'i don't know what the DVLA are going to say'. Thanks anyway.
Came out of my Jeep May 1998 resulting in severe diffuse axonal brain injury (GCS 8) among other things.
During rehab autumn 1998 point blank refused advice to advise DVLA of head injury because it would cause more problems. This was accepted by all.
Several years later (about 5 I think) received a letter from DVLA thanking me for telling them about my injury. I had not told them anything or written to them. After a lot of back and forth I got it out of them the wife who dumped me told them. They asked for my licence which I refused, it's my licence. Eventually they made me take a new driving test - I did it properly taking lessons and passed (actually thought I'd blown if in the seconds before the tester man told me).
I didn't drive for another 7 years because I wasn't comfortable or confident. Just went and bought a car and started driving again - how bonkers is that?
Fortunately I have driven daily for 12 years without problem.
I'm of a mind to be independent as much as I can, I know me, some computer in Swansea doesn't. If I think it's worthwhile and I can get a result, I will fight authority off because, especially with brain injury, one size does not fit all.
Do what YOU feel comfortable with and are able to control.
Hi Ideogram, I don't know if what I did was correct or not, but I didn't drive at all while I felt I wasn't fit to do so - and I didn't notify the DVLA initially. When I felt I could drive again I spoke to the neuropsychiatrist as I was still seeing him, and he said he and the neurologist would sign the DVLA forms provided I realised that I should never drive when I was fatigued. I downloaded the forms ( not entirely sure if they were even the right ones even now) from the DVLA website, completed them giving the consultants' and GP names and contact details and waited quite a while - I'm thinking a couple of months. Anyway I got a letter back from the DVLA saying I was ok to drive. Spoke to the insurance company ( Direct line) and they said provided the DVLA had signed me off that was fine with them. I have read the small print on some other policies since and realised that not every insurance company is the same on this - so that's something to look out for. Weirdly and annoyingly, the DVLA forms didn't seem to cover head injury - so I filled out two - one for physical disability and one for mental issues, but they weren't quibbled.
Incidentally the DVLA sign off comes back with a clear overriding warning that you must not get behind the wheel and drive if you feel unfit to do so.
I'm not convinced about my driving ability over distance or on new to me routes, I think my decision making is still iffy, so just use the car locally. But it's enough to get me to my art groups, occasional shopping, and family locally. Though apart from a spell of commuting by car, which I gratefully swapped for the trains at the time, I was never a great long distance driver before anyway. I drove around incredibly cautiously for ages, trying to work out if I was driving ok, but am over that now.
So my car was off the road for about two years - ironically I got the DVLA sign off shortly before the first Covid lockdown. Not moving it meant that the tires got destroyed - I had no idea! I'd carried on renewing the insurance, but it was off road, so in theory could have done a SORN thingy. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
I can remember being worried about not contacting the DVLA first as well. But I'm afraid this is just an anecdote about what happened to me rather than actual advice on the right thing to do...
Thanks. Yeah this was essentially what I was intending to do, thinking that I'd be improved within a matter of months (what the GP had been expecting) and then I could report it when that was the case. Seems the need to renew insurance might interrupt that. Not sure what I'll do with the car while I can't drive if others can't drive it for me every so often..gah. thanks. Funny how this has brought the headache right back!
Hi, my tbi was a long time ago so things may have changed.
When able I phoned the dvla and informed them I was unable to drive at the moment. I didn't have to surrender my licience but they knew of my restrictions. I informed my insurance that the dvla was aware and I was no longer driving( policy swapped to my wife who was a named driver.)
Then about 3 to 4 years later when he doctor deemed me fit enough I had several driving lessons and then applied for a medical driving assessment.
This is a more involved assessment but more relaxed test. The upshot was I was de.oted to automatic only. I was issued with a new licience and since have always declared to insurance dvla knowledge of my restrictions.
Thanks; may I ask what the reason was for automatic only? If so I'd have to get rid of my car and buy a new one anyway; god knows what that would cost or how to manage all of that with PCS!
In the post I just made following this one I mentioned that they believe driving requires a very high level brain of brain function with coordination of limbs and decision making. I would assume the demote to automatic was because of cognitive ability to change gears and perform all other functions along with it? Hesitate in a car, hit the accelarator or brake by mistake, go the wrong way...........any number of things and you risk an accident.
As I said in my first response, you will get loads of advice that you don't need to contact the DVLA, and most of that advice is not current/was some time ago.
If you go to the link I put above it gives explicit instructions about what you must do dependant on your injuries. My partner suffered a severe TBI and had 3 brain haemorrhages. Both conditions state you must tell the DVLA about them, and then they will make a decision on whether you can drive or not. She had a craniotomy which meant a definite loss of license for 6 months minimum. My partner had to undergo many cognitive tests at neuro rehab to test short and long term memory, with a final test aimed at driving responses which tests the ability to make multiple decisions at once. They consider driving to be one of the most complex activities we can do because we coordinate multiple limbs and make multiple decisions simultaneously. You are not in a position to make decisions regarding your medical fitness to drive after a TBI. A person may feel fine but have cognitive impairment they are not aware of.
The DVLA talked to her GP and most importantly they wanted to talk to her neuro surgeons. The whole process to get the license back took about 2 months. Initial process where they told her to surrender her license took about 1 month.
I'd advise you to go with what the law says (Google INF94) and go from there. Just because someone else got away with not telling the DVLA 10 years ago doesn't mean you will. Also, your GP can only advise you not to drive and/or advise you contact the DVLA. They cannot stop you from driving. They can however contact the DVLA or DVA if they have advised you not to drive and think you continue to do so putting other people at risk.
Thanks. I'm definitely going to tell them, just been finding the whole process confusing and overwhelming and unsure how to answer some of the questions. Already tried Headway but they gave me inaccurate information. I'll try again ta. Bit like trying to think through treacle and decision making is not my strong point ATM but looks like I'll just have to power through.
Ask your GP to refer you to neuro rehabilitation. I'd have thought you would have been referred already, but then again GP's seem to drop the ball as much as hospital admin departments.
Thanks all. As I'm sure you can imagine, trying to think through this is completely confusing and overwhelming stress wise at the best of times (I've just come back from a lovely break, symptoms great, and now I've got an almighty bad head just from thinking about this... And now need to get myself across town to an ECG like this gah). Things like this make me want to give up sometimes; I don't know how on earth you're supposed to cope with it on your own. But thank you for all your responses.
I can safely say my partner would tell you she couldn't have managed all this on her own as it would have been too confusing and overwhelming for her (and it was when I was doing the forms, etc.), so she would be very empathetic. Do you have a partner/significant other capable of helping with all this?
Was thinking reading these posts Ideo, you had a concussion, with no pathology, didn't you? Are you under a consultant or just your GP? Just ask them if you're fit to drive now. If they say yes, do the application to the DVLA to start driving. If they say no, inform the DVLA. You mustn't start driving until you be feel fit to do so though. It still comes down to the fact that every single time you get in the car you have to know that you are fit to drive regardless of sign offs - so definitely not fatigued.
Just under my GP (well I'm under a neurologist but he hasn't done anything other than look at the headaches and MRI so not really helping with recovery). Asked GP for referral to neuropsych and brain injury rehab team but no news yet.
I don't think the GP would say I'm fit right now unfortunately. I would have waited until I was fit and then done this, but my insurance runs out in three weeks, so I think I need to tell both the DVLA and my insurers now rather than start a new policy without having done so.
Mine was really straight forward I'd been advised by Derriford no driving for 6 months after my tbi,filled the form in sent back my license, after 6 months I phoned DVLA and asked for my license back they sent a new form to me and one to my dr ,a week later I phoned them up they said I was good to drive but I would have to send a new pic for my license, that took 2 months to come back though DVLA said I could drive in the meantime it was bliss to be able to drive again. I had just kept my insurance on the car and when I started driving again I informed them but it made no change on the insurance as DVLA had given me my license back so I was fit to drive.For me it was one of the worst things after my tbi not having the car.
Derriford in Plymouth was the ICU I was in after my accident, so basically the hospital said no driving for 6 months that was nearly 5 years ago,I kept the insurance for my no claims I found it easier that way.If you were told 6 months put that on your form too but make sure you phone them when the 6 months is up I had spoken to my dr about the not driving and seen him 2 weeks before my 6 months was up so when he got the form and it was only a short form it was easy like I said getting the new license took nearly 2 months because of needing a new pic but dvla said I could drive till it came.Not driving was bad ,the cost of taxis stupid my son actually took me to a big supermarket carpark when none was around to get me used to driving again but after the 6 months it was easy as if I'd never stopped, good luck
Thanks. I've not been advised anything, just asked the GP and she said I'd need to be sure I was fit to drive before doing so. The cost of taxis is indeed mad - most places I want to go aren't covered by public transport and it just cost me 18 quid to go for an ECG that only took about five minutes. Only an hour's walk away but that's an hour I can't do when I'm fatigued sadly.
Exactly I had those kinda prices in taxis to hospital ,I was told by the hospital I couldn't drive for 6 months so hence filling in the dvla form but if you have only been advised by your dr because you asked do you even need to fill in a dvla form surely you can just take it easy and just get the go ahead from your dr when you and they feel ready when I phoned the dvla and they sent me and the dr a form basically as long as your dr okays you to drive you're good
I would check with your doc or neuro but the severity will no doubt be relevant for DVLA.
Its becoming increasingly common for professional sports people to take time out after things like clashing heads or sustaining any impact to their heads because a second concussion can cause more serious long term issues.
Read “Concussion and TBI from head to tail by Kester J Nedd, an American neuro whose background knowledge & wisdom will explain why concussion can be significant.
Similarly the very sad and tragic case of pro US cyclist Kelly Catlin who sustained concussion, depression and worse after a crash.
My own experience with the DVLA was a bit of a nightmare. I had a brain haemorrhage in early 2022. My wife informed the DVLA of that fact...form B1 whilst I was recovering in hospital. They didn't request/revoke my license nor did they try to contact me or my wife so we didn't think anything further of it.
Some 5 months later when I felt felt fit enough to drive again, I contacted my neuro team, who said I was OK/fit to drive. I also wrote to the DVLA to confirm it was OK with them.
The DVLA then somewhat bizarrely wrote back to me citing concerns about my mental health (which had never previously been mentioned) and asking for more forms to be filled in.
These were sent back immediately. Weeks and weeks went by, so I tried to contact them. No go. The medical team don't talk to "customers" and wouldn't even acknowledge/confirm they had written to me. So I sent a chasing letter having a whinge, in which I may have mentioned in passing MP
A week or so later a DVLA letter arrived requesting that my GP fill out a questionnaire/fitness to drive report with me. For which the surgery would be able to claim back the princely sum of £50? This GP appointment/questionnaire was 45 mins long so actually took 3 standard 15 min GP appointments!
Two days after my GP appointment, and before the GP had even sent the report back to the DVLA, the DVLA contacted the surgery saying that they no longer needed the report.
So in summary, very tedious, very slow, very bureaucratic.
The DVLA also wasted a lot of people's time. However, as others previously mentioned, you do have to go through the process.
I find this strange and it shows where different people have very different experiences with the DVLA. We spoke to the medical team on a couple of occasions last year with no problems at all. They were extremely helpful.
My dealings were in summer of 2022, so I presumed they still had their post covid pandemic with everyone working from home type of hangover? Perhaps they have got them selves sorted out now? Perhaps I was just unlucky. I do recall it being a very frustrating process as they kept asking about my mental health issues, and I wanted to ask them "what mental health issues?". They never explained, then out of the blue (after the GP fitness to drive report fiasco) a letter arrived saying I was OK to drive, but to let them know if there was any re-occurrence of my symptoms.
Lots of good advice here. I would add you do have duty to inform DVLA and my neuro specified this on my discharge letter even though he thought I had made a good recovery with no significant impairments. So my wife and friends drove me to work jobs but after two months we had heard nothing from DVLA. We visited my Doctor who highlighted no visual impairment or problem with peripheral vision or reactions so he wrote direct to DVLA to say so. Doc said if you wait for DVLA you will have forgotten how to drive!
We then got a letter from DVLA saying what we already knew that the standard minimum period for revocation was six months or could be longer. We were then told that until DVLA wrote and said return your licence I could carry on driving. HOW STUPID WAS THAT? In fact it was so surprising my wife got them to both repeat it to me and confirm it in writing. It seems DVLA were short staffed at the time and had a huge backlog of work.
So five and a half months and 3500 miles later, I received the revocation letter. However the DVLA hadnt even read their own policy and procedure on their own website which states six months from the last operation or any subsequent problems like seizures. We rang them again to point out the fact that the six months was up in two weeks time. So they just said send in your old licence and a new application. Ten days later, I received them both back to allow me to carry on driving.
That was one big tick in the box of recovery as previously I used to travel the country clocking up thousands of miles per annum from Scotland to Kent and down the Cornwall for the company I previously worked for, so despite the obvious stress it was also my freedom and relaxation.
One other thing, if your car is not going to be used for any appreciable time, consider selling it and buying another when you can drive. Cars depreciate both in age / value and condition so are generally a badly depreciating asset.
Thanks. I definitely don't have the mental energy to sell my car and suspect I'd lose a lot of money on it, but form now sent off to the DVLA and can only cross fingers for how long it will take to get back to driving.
If they revoke your license it will be 6 months minimum "from date of injury" or 12 months if epilepsy is involved. Note I said from date of injury as it's not from date you send iin the form. If they revoke your license, and neuro surgeons say you are fit to drive (they will overide your GP with this), send in your application at 5 months and keep your fingers crossed you get your license back right at 6 months. That's what we did and my partner had license returned at 7 months purely because her GP screwed up in responding to the DVLA which set things back a couple of weeks as DVLA had to send a second letter requesting information from the GP.
Do you have anybody who can assist you with such paperwork and other highly cognitive tasks? Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on occasionally, or other support, probably more so after BI.
Headway helpline is one such resource.
I am lucky in that my wife is incredibly well organised and deals with call centres and some paperwork matters. However sometimes these can even cause her to get frustrated by idiots too.
She has actually suffered more than me in some respects because she came to the hospital every day for two months not knowing if I would make it. Anyway that is very apparent in her actions, stress and demeanour now. Meanwhile whilst in hospital I was in a medically induced coma, so all I had was strong drugs and great dreams. (I dont however recommend anyone tries it for the experience). I also have a childhood friend in another part of the country who assists by email too.
So check out anyone you know who you can assist, confide in or splurge out to.
Thanks all for the help. Form now sent off to the DVLA, which is a relief - it's been hanging, Damacles-esque, over me this week and I realised the stress has blossomed like a crazy thing in its orbit. Decision-making, precision (I had to check my address with a friend while writing it), and acceptance are not my strong point right now.
I asked for advice from a friend of a friend today who's in neuropsychology about what might be available in the way of local services. He talked about brain injuries not getting better and having counselling on acceptance. He may well of course have been talking about many others for whom this is very true, but - it got me rather angry.
I do NOT accept this.
I imagine, like a lot of people, it feels like my life has been fossilised at the time of my TBI; oddly as if somehow it's a judgement or test of where I'd got to in life by now. ('You haven't achieved what you've been banging on about yet? Well! You can't have it then!') Things had already felt like this pre-accident - recently turning a certain age, which has troubling connotations for me; all the years lost to COVID.
I think I may have reached the angry-depressed stage: so very aware that my chance to achieve the goals that will be so important for my future (/future survival) - buying a house, having a partner and family, climbing and mountaineering goals, overcoming other fears - are now impossibly on hold until further notice. This feels rather unfair when I'd already reached the age when time is running out - and of course, we have so much time to navel gaze on these things now, don't we?
Driving may be the least important thing, but freedom and independence are not; I don't have a large pool of chauffeurs to call on, and it is terrifying being so dependent on certain people to such unhealthy extents.
In fact I found out today that I might end up being able to get a free bus pass (not that helpful since they're only 2 quid anyway, never reliable, and don't go to the places I want to go - I still need a lift if I want to walk in the countryside, the reason why I moved here, and I still have to carry my shopping 15 minutes up a steep hill if I want to be so demanding as to want to feed myself independently). However - I can't even get a third off train travel (journeys to my family are about a hundred quid now that I can't drive). What?!
Perhaps this was just the straw that broke me this week.
I am minded of Dylan Thomas's raging.
Also, it turns out I can't spell Damocles...
Right.
Car insurance next! 💪
(I am not looking for consolation - purely to write these things. Thank you, as ever, for the airtime, all.)
advise dvla straight away . I think my husband did it for me but can’t remember .. it took 10 months to get the all clear from neuro which allowed me to drive again .. Sue 🙂
Following my SAH (2005)I notified DVLA and they suspended my licence until the consultants confirmed my results etc. and deemed me safe to drive which was only a couple of months. I didn't lose consciousness so they reinstated my licence quickly - my HGV provisional was taken off completely though. After my epilepsy diagnosis in 2021 (my seizure left me unconscious for over 10 minutes) I voluntarily surrendered my licence as recommended. Following a year seizure free I was able to reapply and was issued a 5 year licence. I find it is best to inform/speak to DVLA to make sure you are doing the best or legal thing! Losing the licence is dependent on your affects and what happened to cause the TBI. These will be confirmed/supplied to DVLA by your consultant or GP and they will also be asked if you can be deemed safe to drive.
Not the best news - but I think better to be safe and follow the process of communicating with DVLA.
DVLA have just written to me to say that they've written to my neurologist.
I had suggested my GP was the best contact (she sees me far more often than he has and has been a lot more responsive) but they've obviously ignored that.
I'm not yet actually under a rehab specialist who could give more up to date advice.
I was banking on this taking months as others had experienced, and then being better by the time they wrote to my GP. Obviously that hasn't happened, and I think I'm going to now lose my licence.
My GP had written to him reporting things like confusion and the fact that I'd forgotten how to tie my shoelaces. Even though that's a couple of months ago now, that will have condemned me.
Obviously I can't both persuade the neurologist that I'm fit to keep my licence, and that he should take me seriously and give me support.
Ironically while I definitely need support, I've been feeling mentally more alert the last week and so was hoping that fitness would come back.
Six or twelve months plus of only being able to leave my house when one friend picks me up is going to be awful.
Particularly losing out on a whole summer season of getting out to the Peak, which is exactly what I moved here for, four years ago, on my own.
I definitely don't think I'm quite ready yet (on some days maybe, but not others) but I was really holding not to have an arbitrary period of time imposed on me and then have to do an assessment (lot more stressful for me than actual driving).
This was the neurologist who thought I had migraine at first, so not sure I trust his report on me anyway.
Tldr - virtual hugs very welcome today!!
Now to try an hour back at the bouldering wall for the first time, to see how many people I can fall into
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Field vision - DVLA - Peripheral Vs Peli lens
DVLA Driving License after TBI
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