Driving after a seizure
Discussion
Hi all
My friend is in a bit of a quandary. Basically doctors think that she may have had a seizure. They are still doing investigates and don’t know yet but have told her not to drive for 6 months and to notify the DVLA with another appointment in a months time to review. She’s not a car person so has asked for advice.
From my reading she has two options.
1) surrender her licence now and hope she gets it back in 6 months or earlier.
2) not surrender it and inform them or her “seizure” but this I believe starts an investigation?
Have other members been through this? What’s her best choice?
Also how does it affect her insurance afterwards?
Thanks!
My friend is in a bit of a quandary. Basically doctors think that she may have had a seizure. They are still doing investigates and don’t know yet but have told her not to drive for 6 months and to notify the DVLA with another appointment in a months time to review. She’s not a car person so has asked for advice.
From my reading she has two options.
1) surrender her licence now and hope she gets it back in 6 months or earlier.
2) not surrender it and inform them or her “seizure” but this I believe starts an investigation?
Have other members been through this? What’s her best choice?
Also how does it affect her insurance afterwards?
Thanks!
She should stop driving immediately and notify the DVLAn as explained here: https://www.gov.uk/epilepsy-and-driving
What happens next depends on the type of seizure. In my O/H's case, after being seizure free for over a year she got her licence back. Her insurance hasn't been affected.
What happens next depends on the type of seizure. In my O/H's case, after being seizure free for over a year she got her licence back. Her insurance hasn't been affected.
It happened me some years ago. Absolutely no driving, sent my license back to DVLA. ( I only sent the paper part ) After 6 long months were up I wrote to DVLA requesting return of my license back. In all, they took 5 months to do this. They have to contact your medical people,etc, but are incredibly slow and incompetent at the process. However, if you read the rules , it is clear that, as long as you have been seizure free for six months, you may drive again. I don't think this is applicable to hgv is psv licenses, tho.
So glad I kept my photo card license as I could hire a car on holiday.
My insurance was not loaded afterwards.
To repeat. Don't even think about driving ( or your friend, or whatever)
So glad I kept my photo card license as I could hire a car on holiday.
My insurance was not loaded afterwards.
To repeat. Don't even think about driving ( or your friend, or whatever)
You are (kinda) lucky. It was 3 years wait when I had a seizure. Nowadays it is just one year. I surrendered my licence, my doctor said that was a bit hasty. It takes two seizures to be classed as epilepsy. However, as someone who has an interest in my epilepsy, you will find that you will learn more than a GP, but an epilepsy nurse is your best friend. Note Lorry and public service vehicles have to be seizure free, for 10 years WITHOUT the use of medication.
My advice. If you strongly believe it was a seizure, surrender it now, you may get it back earlier than if you wait. Whether epilepsy, or any other ailment, if your GP or consultant says don’t drive, you will invalidate your licence and insurance if you do.
Having missed three years of driving, you realise it is a privilege, not a right.
My advice. If you strongly believe it was a seizure, surrender it now, you may get it back earlier than if you wait. Whether epilepsy, or any other ailment, if your GP or consultant says don’t drive, you will invalidate your licence and insurance if you do.
Having missed three years of driving, you realise it is a privilege, not a right.
From my experience of medical conditions and the DVLA, they will review your friends case, make a decision and send that in writing.
The decision they make will be what the doctor recommended. If the doctor says don’t drive, the DVLA will say the same.
When your friend contacts the DVLA in the first instance, they will be told to follow any immediate advice given by the doctor.
Both my partner and a close friend went through this same process in the last 18 months. Both found that if/when the doctor says you’re ok to drive, the DVLA will let you drive again, and the DVLA confirmed this in writing within a couple of weeks of the doctors decision that they were fine to drive again (even during Covid).
The decision they make will be what the doctor recommended. If the doctor says don’t drive, the DVLA will say the same.
When your friend contacts the DVLA in the first instance, they will be told to follow any immediate advice given by the doctor.
Both my partner and a close friend went through this same process in the last 18 months. Both found that if/when the doctor says you’re ok to drive, the DVLA will let you drive again, and the DVLA confirmed this in writing within a couple of weeks of the doctors decision that they were fine to drive again (even during Covid).
As some others have mentioned on here the rules for normal licence holders and vocational licence holders are very different .
It seems for car drivers just a letter from your GP will get you cleared to return to driving. For HGV/LGV/ PSV drivers there are many hoops to jump through to get your licence back . That is after being incident free for the Qualifying period.
The member Chillistrucker had a long and protracted battle to get his licence back after his medical problems, it had a bigger effect than the medical problems and showed the very worst side of DVLA, Gov, civil servants .
It seems for car drivers just a letter from your GP will get you cleared to return to driving. For HGV/LGV/ PSV drivers there are many hoops to jump through to get your licence back . That is after being incident free for the Qualifying period.
The member Chillistrucker had a long and protracted battle to get his licence back after his medical problems, it had a bigger effect than the medical problems and showed the very worst side of DVLA, Gov, civil servants .
R2x said:
From my experience of medical conditions and the DVLA, they will review your friends case, make a decision and send that in writing.
The decision they make will be what the doctor recommended. If the doctor says don’t drive, the DVLA will say the same.
When your friend contacts the DVLA in the first instance, they will be told to follow any immediate advice given by the doctor.
Both my partner and a close friend went through this same process in the last 18 months. Both found that if/when the doctor says you’re ok to drive, the DVLA will let you drive again, and the DVLA confirmed this in writing within a couple of weeks of the doctors decision that they were fine to drive again (even during Covid).
Indeed. If you meet the qualifying period, have applied, but not received your licence back yet, then as long as your consultant or GP says you can drive, then you can (as long as the time period is up and the application is in).The decision they make will be what the doctor recommended. If the doctor says don’t drive, the DVLA will say the same.
When your friend contacts the DVLA in the first instance, they will be told to follow any immediate advice given by the doctor.
Both my partner and a close friend went through this same process in the last 18 months. Both found that if/when the doctor says you’re ok to drive, the DVLA will let you drive again, and the DVLA confirmed this in writing within a couple of weeks of the doctors decision that they were fine to drive again (even during Covid).
I personally found the DVLA very good in this respect. You will of course have a medically restricted licence, so will have to re-new every three years. No big deal. Also as long as the GP and DVLA say you can drive, it makes no difference to insurance companies. As I said, it is far more rigorous and onerous for truck and bus drivers, and thus, I suspect there are some who are driving while they shouldn’t (the Glasgow bin driver comes to mind).
Jimny33 said:
Thanks all
So does she need to surrender her licence or can she simply notify them?
Is there a better option with regard to getting it back?
Surrender, in the first instance.. It will be invalid anyway. When renewing mine, I did say that I needed to keep it for identification as I was handling my late mother’s estate. They were fine with this. After I got my new one back, I just told them that I had destroyed it. I found the DVLA quite efficient with these things.So does she need to surrender her licence or can she simply notify them?
Is there a better option with regard to getting it back?
Id a blood clot removed - hole in the skull, licence was taken away for 6 months. No sizure or anything purely precautionary requirement with that type of surgery.
Need to go with the doctors advice on this and also with the DVLA. we had a case up where with the Glasgow bin lorry driver who didnt tell the authorities when he had a sizure. too much can go wrong behind a wheel... best play it safe.
Need to go with the doctors advice on this and also with the DVLA. we had a case up where with the Glasgow bin lorry driver who didnt tell the authorities when he had a sizure. too much can go wrong behind a wheel... best play it safe.
Edited by ruggedscotty on Sunday 6th December 19:05
Apply for a disabled person’s rail card, if that makes financial sense. I have used that a lot for a decent discount. The rules have changed now, though. It used to be you could get and use one if you were taking medication and driving, but now they are stricter, and it is only if you are not permitted to drive. If you do travel using the card and reduced price tickets, the ticket inspector WILL want to see the card.
Do they actually ask for your licence to be returned?
Friend of mine passed out and booked himself in at the doctors for a check up and the gp just informed the dvla that he was ‘banned’ for six months.
After the six months was up, he went back to the docs who gave him the all clear and so he got back on the road with no need for paperwork etc.
This was a few years ago so might be different now I guess.
Friend of mine passed out and booked himself in at the doctors for a check up and the gp just informed the dvla that he was ‘banned’ for six months.
After the six months was up, he went back to the docs who gave him the all clear and so he got back on the road with no need for paperwork etc.
This was a few years ago so might be different now I guess.
Alucidnation said:
Do they actually ask for your licence to be returned?
Friend of mine passed out and booked himself in at the doctors for a check up and the gp just informed the dvla that he was ‘banned’ for six months.
After the six months was up, he went back to the docs who gave him the all clear and so he got back on the road with no need for paperwork etc.
This was a few years ago so might be different now I guess.
I surrendered mine (2007), because I preferred that to having it revoked. Theirs was an ‘unexplained syncope’ - different to a seizure.Friend of mine passed out and booked himself in at the doctors for a check up and the gp just informed the dvla that he was ‘banned’ for six months.
After the six months was up, he went back to the docs who gave him the all clear and so he got back on the road with no need for paperwork etc.
This was a few years ago so might be different now I guess.
If there has been 1 seizure it is categorised as an isolated seizure for licensing, it needs 2 or more seizures within 5 years for the classification of epilepsy for licensing purposes, it differs to clinical medicine.
This will need driving to cease for 6 months, it is far better to surrender the licence than have it revoked, you are able to restart much sooner if you have an application and your Dr agrees. If revoked you have to wait for dvla to reissue the licence. With backlogs this can take time. You should get your Dr to sign a FEPDEC form when you reapply, to shorten the process.
A 'loss of consciousness' is also likely to result in 6 months off, the times are similar to avoid shopping around.
This is for car driving. Lorry and bus is a lot more stringent, will be 5 years off for 1 seizure. Potentially 10 years if epilepsy is a diagnosis or more than 1 seizure occurs.
Google 'section 88 cover' for details of the surrender benefits.
Just don't drive till given the OK, the details of the problems are already recorded in medical notes
This will need driving to cease for 6 months, it is far better to surrender the licence than have it revoked, you are able to restart much sooner if you have an application and your Dr agrees. If revoked you have to wait for dvla to reissue the licence. With backlogs this can take time. You should get your Dr to sign a FEPDEC form when you reapply, to shorten the process.
A 'loss of consciousness' is also likely to result in 6 months off, the times are similar to avoid shopping around.
This is for car driving. Lorry and bus is a lot more stringent, will be 5 years off for 1 seizure. Potentially 10 years if epilepsy is a diagnosis or more than 1 seizure occurs.
Google 'section 88 cover' for details of the surrender benefits.
Just don't drive till given the OK, the details of the problems are already recorded in medical notes
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff