Fit To Drive Or Not

[TorqueVR]

4 weeks ago I had a cardiac arrest and then a pacemaker fitted on the 30th December. The hospital advised me not to drive for for six months and I was 100% honest in filling out the notice to DVLA when I got home and told them all that had happened .

DVLA has written to me saying that I "meet the required medial standards" and "you may continue to drive". As I see it, if I do drive I am OK with DVLA and therefore presumably in compliance with my insurance. Am I correct?

[xx99xx]

I assume the hospital/medical advice is to avoid any damage to the surgery area from seat belts etc They're not saying you're unfit to drive for road safety reasons. If you feel less safe due to discomfort then not driving would be your decision.

DVLA opinion trumps Dr opinion on legality of driving - although I wouldn't want to test out the insurance opinion if you ended up in an accident. Ask your insurers.

[E-bmw]

Hospital "advising you not to drive" is not the same as your licence being revoked on medical grounds.

Perhaps worth a call to doctors to check but I would expect the same as the above poster.

[teeCup]

This happened to me, the DVLA don t revoke your licence but the Doctors advice not to drive for 6 months after the cardiac episode or therapy from the ICD is binding.

I ve had 2 month spells off the road due to this.

I hope OP is doing well and the ICD provides some reassurance.

Edited to add a link to the DVLAs position on this;

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cardiovascular-disorde...

“ Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)

Group 1 car and motorcycle drivers

In all cases of ICD implanted for sustained ventricular arrhythmia associated with incapacity, driving must stop for 6 months from the date of ICD implantation and any resumption requires:

the device being under regular review with interrogation
no other disqualifying condition
all the requirements as below being met”

Edited by teeCup on Saturday 17th January 13:34

[48k]

TorqueVR said:

4 weeks ago I had a cardiac arrest and then a pacemaker fitted on the 30th December. The hospital advised me not to drive for for six months and I was 100% honest in filling out the notice to DVLA when I got home and told them all that had happened .

DVLA has written to me saying that I "meet the required medial standards" and "you may continue to drive". As I see it, if I do drive I am OK with DVLA and therefore presumably in compliance with my insurance. Am I correct?

Only your insurance company can tell you if you are in compliance with your insurance. Currently they have insured you on the basis of you having (presumably) no medical conditions. They may require you to inform them that you have a pacemaker fitted. The only way of finding out is to talk to them.

[Jamescrs]

My dad had a pace maker fitted 2-3 years ago and he was never required to stop driving for any extended period of months

[Yellow Lizud]

teeCup said:

I hope OP is doing well and the ICD provides some reassurance.

The OP said he had a pacemaker fitted, not quite sure why you wanted to change the medical procedure.

The DVLA have said he can drive and they have the final say on the subject.

However, as regards insurance, as others have said, only your insurance co will know the answer.

[oakdale]

Are you sure you heard them right at the hospital?

According to the DVLA website, you usually only have to stop driving for up to 4 weeks with either of the procedures you've had (that's for cars/motorcycle).

[whimsical ninja]

I love this.

"I've just had a medical professional tell me I'm not fit to drive. Am I fit to drive?"

[Austin Prefect]

whimsical ninja said:

I love this.

"I've just had a medical professional tell me I'm not fit to drive. Am I fit to drive?"

Not advised to drive is not the same as not fit to drive.

[GasEngineer]

teeCup said:

"Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)"

An ICD is a different device to a pacemaker.

DVLA said:

Must not drive for at least one week after pacemaker implant and pacemaker box change.

Must notify DVLA of pacemaker implantation. Need not notify DVLA of pacemaker box change.

Driving may resume after one week provided there is no other disqualifying condition.

.

[harryt]

Yeah - shouldn't really be driving after a triple bypass and heart transplant, lol.

[teeCup]

GasEngineer said:

teeCup said:

"Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)"

An ICD is a different device to a pacemaker.

DVLA said:

Must not drive for at least one week after pacemaker implant and pacemaker box change.

Must notify DVLA of pacemaker implantation. Need not notify DVLA of pacemaker box change.

Driving may resume after one week provided there is no other disqualifying condition.

.

Yes I’m aware of this but misread the OPs post, apologies.

What I’ve posted above doesn’t apply to a pacemaker, so I guess it’s a matter for discussion with his car insurer?

Again, hope OP is making a good recovery, driving or not.

[teeCup]

Yellow Lizud said:

teeCup said:

I hope OP is doing well and the ICD provides some reassurance.

The OP said he had a pacemaker fitted, not quite sure why you wanted to change the medical procedure.

The DVLA have said he can drive and they have the final say on the subject.

However, as regards insurance, as others have said, only your insurance co will know the answer.

I misread the post and was trying to offer some first hand experience having mistakenly thought OP found himself in the same boat as me, but I was mistaken.

[GadgeS3C]

xx99xx said:

I assume the hospital/medical advice is to avoid any damage to the surgery area from seat belts etc They're not saying you're unfit to drive for road safety reasons. If you feel less safe due to discomfort then not driving would be your decision.

DVLA opinion trumps Dr opinion on legality of driving - although I wouldn't want to test out the insurance opinion if you ended up in an accident. Ask your insurers.

I was told I was OK to drive 6 weeks after a triple bypass. I minimised time in cars for longer, due to the risk of seat belt squish.

[TonyF1]

If medical advice is not to drive that problematic for your insurance cover. A few years ago I had a very serious ankle break and was told not to drive until I could weight bear which was 16 weeks. I phoned insurance to check as well 16 weeks, and was told if medical advice was no then I wouldn t be covered as not fit to drive.

[WPA]

I would check with your insurance company, when I looked into for my Dad following his heart attack, they told me that as long as the DVLA is happy then it was fine to start driving after 4 weeks, it only becomes an issue if you are a professional driver by all accounts.

[jimmsy]

I was told that some insurers have a clause that you can't drive for 6 weeks after any general anesthetic. Could be something that a consultant mistakenly told a family member, but worth checking.

[TorqueVR]

OP here again. A friend had the same procedure as me a few years ago and was also told not to drive by the hospital for six months. By comparison another friend and PHer had a heart attack on Saturday, a stent fitted on Monday and was told not to drive for a week. The Pacemaker booklet given to me when I was discharged says "you must not drive until your 6 week checkup" so the NHS seems quite inconsistent. I'll not drive until the 6 week check up in 3 weeks time and see what the doctor says and will let you know. I really hope it's going to be 6 weeks and not 6 months as my wife's driving has deteriorated recently and is difficult to keep my mouth shut from the passenger seat.