DVLA

[Wellsie]

I wondered if anybod had any experience of DVLA?

At what point does vasculitis become a notifiable illness to tell DVLA about?

What happens when you do, and does it have any impact on your insurance premiums?

[vivdunstan Volunteer]

If it causing strokes i.e. affecting your brain then you definitely need to notify them. This applied to me. I have cerebral vasculitis. I had to stop driving completely in 1995, having had a series of near accidents, and although I hung on to my license I finally lost it earlier this year on medical grounds, probably permanently. Until the license was taken away from me we kept me insured on the car, just in case. There were no additional insurance costs as far as we could tell. The insurance company was happy so long as DVLA had been informed and were happy for me to drive.

[LMB2]

Hi Wellsie

I have had CNS Vassculitis since September 2011 and was told by my consultant not to drive. I understand that if you have been told this and do drive - your insurance will become null and void. I spoke to the DVLA about this and had to complete loads of forms for them. The last I heard was that the DVLA had written to my GP and were waiting for a response but that was several months ago. I am still waiting to hear from them. The advice I had was that you had to notify the DVLA.

Hope this helps in some way

Regards

Lorraine

[Wellsie]

Oh, OK. Intersting articles. I cannot find Vasculitis or Polyarteritis Nodosa on the list of notifiable illnesses on the Direct Gov website, although peripheral neropathy is, and this is a comon feature of many types of vasculitis.

i guess the extent of the damage is then at the consultant's discretion to advise accordingly.

[Katie18]

Hi wellsie I'd have thought you only need to tell the dvla as soon as your condition or medication affects your ability to drive. My churg Strauss affected the nerves in my right foot and lower leg so I had to inform them straight away, I lost sensation and had very bad foot drop and so I couldn't use the pedals. I went to a centre in Leeds run on a voluntary basis which is known to the dvla and they gave me a lesson in an adapted right foot accelerator car. I had five more two hour lessons by one of their recommended driving instructors, bought an automatic car and had it converted. It hasnt been easy getting used to pedals on the other side and i did have an accident during the early days which set me back, but I have got used to it and I love my new yaris. I informed dvla and they have altered my licence to say I am now driving an adapted car, they also sent me a form to compete which asked whether my doctors were happy for me to drive. I cant remeber if they checked with the gp themselves. IT was reasonably straightforward really. You can get advice from them over the phone. I'm insured with tesco and it hasn't affected my premium. Best of luck

[Wellsie]

Thanks Katie; that's really helpful

[magcor]

Hi wellsie have CNS after telling dvla I had a restrictive licence for 3 years, This went on for some time but, now they have given me the full 10 yr licence. As for insurance it didn't affect the price.

[JimL]

I am a taxi driver and I was diagnosed with WG in December 2010. My consultant has never said that I should not drive, if anything he has encouraged me to return to work. Due to my age, I have to have a medical every year and my GP has twice happily signed me as fit to be a taxi driver.