Speeding up licence removal on medical conditions

[InfoRetrieval]

Have we discussed this one yet?

"Driving licences will be removed within hours from those posing a threat to other road users under new rules."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-2129332...

You are already legally obliged to notify the DVLA about any conditions that may impair your driving, however I know that many people don't. My optician has told me that there are many of his customers with inadequate vision who continue to drive but he has no way of reporting them.

How about a compulsory eye test when getting a licence or renewing the photocard section (every ten years)?

[pthelazyjourno]

InfoRetrieval said:

Have we discussed this one yet?

"Driving licences will be removed within hours from those posing a threat to other road users under new rules."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-2129332...

You are already legally obliged to notify the DVLA about any conditions that may impair your driving, however I know that many people don't. My optician has told me that there are many of his customers with inadequate vision who continue to drive but he has no way of reporting them.

How about a compulsory eye test when getting a licence or renewing the photocard section (every ten years)?

I didn't tell the DVLA for years when I got diagnosed with Epilepsy. I did stop driving for 12 months though, as I would need to had I informed them.

Just never got round to it until my licence got nicked. Then rang them up and told them, sent them doctors notes etc, they didn't have a problem with it.

Did wonder if they'd be out for revenge!

Always wondered about the ability for doctors to ignore confidentiality and inform the DVLA - be it vision related, brain, physical whatever. If somebody presents a danger then perhaps it would make sense for the GP to inform the DVLA rather than risk having the person continue to drive.

Edited by pthelazyjourno on Friday 1st February 13:09

[paranoid airbag]

If only it was possible to include mental deficiency as medical grounds... watch as crash and congestion rates plummet

[chrisw75]

InfoRetrieval said:

How about a compulsory eye test when getting a licence or renewing the photocard section (every ten years)?

They do that in New Zealand, but it's st. I need my glasses to read, and still passed the test even though what I could see was fuzzy as hell.

And besides, they may be able to remove the licence in minutes, but it'll probably take weeks to get the notification through..

[gt6]

As a diabetic I have been on a 3 yearly renewable one for 20 years, it is not a problem all I do is send in the forms every 3 years

[Deva Link]

pthelazyjourno said:

Always wondered about the ability for doctors to ignore confidentiality and inform the DVLA - be it vision related, brain, physical whatever. If somebody presents a danger then perhaps it would make sense for the GP to inform the DVLA rather than risk having the person continue to drive.

There is BMA guidance on this for doctors and they're supposed to tell the DVLA if they think the person is going to continue to drive.

Apparently once a doctor advises you not to drive you're immediately breaking the law if you do. It happened to a colleague of mine - he'd driven to an appointment and the consultant told him to get the car collected.