Actually, Poppy, you can legally drive in the UK after the expiry date on your full licence, provided that you applied for renewal less than 12 months before the expiry date.The letter that comes with the renewal forms spells this out. I would not care to test this out on a trip outside the UK however.
Geoff
I never knew that. That must complicate insurance renewals paperwork I imagine.
This link takes you to the page on the govenment website that has a link to the relevant DVLA document.
As my license expired nearly a year ago I think I should give them a ring and find out exactly where I stand! I have had letters over the past year saying I can carry on driving, but itâll be nice to get the new licence in my hands.
I am agreed with the views of Bouncy.You can appeal against DVLA if it seems to you that their decision is not a genuine one. I was reading here http://qwikfix.co.uk/dvla-contact/ that if you are suffering from any health disability or undergoing any treatment for a long time. Expect the DVLA team to revert you back within six weeks of a time period. If you are contacting DVLA, then you need to also call your doctor as DVLA advisors may want to get you examined. They can also take your driving test, eyesight test and on the basis of that, they will assess your driving skill and other parameters.
DVLA advice please HELP!
Hello all, I have had my driving licence revoked because of ms and/or the medication I am using. This came out of the blue and coincided with my being half way through a driving assessment with Drive Ability, who think I am fine to drive albeit with a couple of adaptations. I have appealed to DVLA saying that a/ I take most meds at night, b/ if I felt unwell or affected by the drugs I would not drive, just like I would not drive if I was affected by alcohol (I am a grown up, honest!) and c/ as a ex bobby, i am very aware of road safety. I have also attached a letter from my GP (I have not seen a specialist for years as they frighten me. The the thing is, if DVLA say no, then my next line of attack is to appeal to magistrates. This is both very expensive, as I have to pay their costs if I lose (they donât have to pay mine if they lose!) and my experiance of magistrates albeit a long time ago is they tend towards conservative caution, and of course the state . Any advice please? Has anyone been through the same thing? Needless to say, I live in a very small village with no bus service or shop, but my wife does drive. This has hit me hard after a rubbish couple of years, what with ms, a couple of stays in hospital and a bereavement . ANY advice or ideas would be really welcome. Regards to all
I too have a three year licence. The DVLA would contact my neuro for his opinion as to whether I can drive. I too am on loads of meds.
After this latest renewal I got a letter from DVLA saying at the next renewal I myself would be trusted to fill the form in to say whether I thought my self safe to drive.
Maybe this was because at this last renewal the DVLA kept sending me letters saying Neuro hadnât responded - had this at least twice.
i would get a medical letter to DVLA
min x
Hi, thanks for the last post. I donât see a Neuro any more (last saw one 5 years ago) as each time I used to go, I.e. once a year, I would be prescribed a new med that would knock me for six. I have sent in a letter from my GP which is sort of supportive, not negative, more covering his back. I suppose my question is, if I go to court without medical evidence, but with support from drive ability what are the chances of winning? Iâm told it could be an expensive bussiness given I could end up paying DVLA costs! It also seems inequitable that the same does not apply in reverse i.e. they wonât have to pay my costs if I win! Has anybody reading this taken DVLA to court to get a discision reversed?
Hi, thanks for the last post. I donât see a Neuro any more (last saw one 5 years ago) as each time I used to go, I.e. once a year, I would be prescribed a new med that would knock me for six. I have sent in a letter from my GP which is sort of supportive, not negative, more covering his back. I suppose my question is, if I go to court without medical evidence, but with support from drive ability what are the chances of winning? Iâm told it could be an expensive bussiness given I could end up paying DVLA costs! It also seems inequitable that the same does not apply in reverse i.e. they wonât have to pay my costs if I win! Has anybody reading this taken DVLA to court to get a discision reversed?
Hi, thanks for the last post. I donât see a Neuro any more (last saw one 5 years ago) as each time I used to go, I.e. once a year, I would be prescribed a new med that would knock me for six. I have sent in a letter from my GP which is sort of supportive, not negative, more covering his back. I suppose my question is, if I go to court without medical evidence, but with support from drive ability what are the chances of winning? Iâm told it could be an expensive bussiness given I could end up paying DVLA costs! It also seems inequitable that the same does not apply in reverse i.e. they wonât have to pay my costs if I win! Has anybody reading this taken DVLA to court to get a discision reversed?
Blimey- I am no legal expert. But I would say that you would need to take medical evidence
Min x
This makes my blood boil.
There are thousands of drivers who for dozens of reasons might be a " danger to other road users " like people who have a cold, a worry, are late, a crying child in the car, are in debt so canât think straight for worry, took a cold remedy, took migraine tabletsâŚetc etc etc.
I used to work in a busy A and E dept and have as you can imagine seen far too many road accident victimsâŚwho would risk hurting someone if they could avoid it. Just how many drivers are always 100% focused on their drivingâŚvery few I think but those of us with extra reason to question ourselves hopefully do think twice before we drive.
Today for example I wanted to nip to the shop in the next village but decided not to because my balance was bad from a sinus infection.
On another day I will still have MS but hopefully not the sinus problemsâŚshould my licence be revoked ?
What a cockeyed world.
I was taking Gabapentin, Amitriptyline, Baclofen & blood pressure tablets, when I informed the DVLA about my MS, I told them about the meds but they still issued a 3 year licence without any problems.
It was taking a while to hear back which started to concern me so I rang them, spoke to a lady who said that the delay was down to deciding if I needed any type of driving aids, such as a steering wheel ball or automatic gears, I didnt need any aids, which is what I put on the form, as soon as I confirmed this verbally over the phone I had the licence within days, there was no mention of how the medications affected me.
If I recall it does ask on the forms how any meds you are taking affects you ?
None of the meds I was on at the time did affect me, apart from put on a bit of weight with the Gabapentin.
In fairness I think whoever assesses the application at the DVLA, and makes the final decision would obviously have to take into account any medication that makes the applicant drowsy, especially if the applicant has declared that it does.
I also spoke to my specialist nurse pre-warning that the DVLA would be in touch asking about my condition, he said he couldnt see an issue as it was my walking that the MS was effecting nothing else.
So I think it also helps if your MS consultant, or who ever replies to the DVLA gives an accurate account of how the MS is effecting you, including any medication that you are on.
I guess if youâve ever told your MS clinic or GP that certain meds make you sleepy/drowsy they have a legal obligation to pass that info onto to the DVLA if asked, oddly though the DVLA never contacted my GP when I sent in my application, it was all based on my MS consultants opinion !
If you look at the wider picture its all down to who takes the final responsibility if something goes wrong after issuing the licence.
The insurance company could argue that the DVLA issued the licence knowing the driver had this condition and was on meds that could affect his/her driving, therefor they shouldnât of issued the licence in the first place.
Insurance companies will use any excuse not to pay out in a claim, especially if the claim was a serious incident, ie death or serious injury. **(see below)
I think this is why your premiums are not effected when you inform the insurance company that you are on a medical licence, because in their eyes its the DVLA who the buck has stopped with by issuing the licence.
Then though the DVLA could argue that they took all necessary routes to assess the applicant by reaching out to the GP and or consultant of the applicant for a full and true assessment, so by doing this they (DVLA) have passed the buck onto the GP or Consultant.
The Consultant/GP now need to fight their corner by revealing if the applicant has ever stated that certain meds do affect them by making him/her sleepy or drowsy, if the person has informed them that certain meds do make them sleepy/drowsy, and this is declared by the GP/Consultant or by the applicant when applying, you can see why the DVLA might be reluctant to issue a licence.
In my opinion itâs the GP/Consultant foremost that you will need to convince your fit to drive, as ultimately they have a legal obligation to declare anything on you medical notes that could be an issue when applying for the licence.
So in the case of the OP I would firstly speak to the GP/Consultant, explain whatâs happened, definitely re-evaluate your meds, because thats a bit of a âcocktailâ, then get something in writing from both explaining how the meds are taken and the true effects they have on you.
I would definitely appeal the DVLA decision, but only if you can truly and honestly say that the meds are not effecting your ability to to drive.
** Iâve seen the consequences of someone getting horrifically injured whilst being in a car crash where meds were probably a factor, my nephew,17 at the time, permanently brain damaged 4 years ago when the car he was travelling in hit a tree, family still battling with insurance company, who are passing the buck back to DVLA/GPâs.
So any way, itâs cutting through all the red tape and getting a sensible outcome is the problem.
Good Luck.
Thanks for everyones thoughts on this, yes of course I use meds than can affect me, so being a grown up I would not drive on those days I am affected, (I only use meds at night, in the same way I used too on the odd occasion drink quite a lot of beer as a student so did not drive if i was over the limit, and I wasnât any where near as grown up in those days. As I drive a Motorbility car and it was time to change it, I asked for an assessment from drive mobility and they said my cognitive and motor skills were good enough to not need an on road assessment. They are the experts and in fact they are used by DVLA to assess drivers. I have mentioned this in my appeal letter and sent a letter from my GP, but, I understand DVLA are not keen on changing their minds, so the question still is, âif need be should i take it to the final stage of appeal and go to a magistrateâ? This course of action is quite risky as if i lost i would have to pay thier legal costs along with my own, apparently this could run up to ÂŁ25k plus! Do people ever win these appeals i wonder? Has anybody been down this route before? On the whole I think I made a mistake getting MS, i should have stuck with something simple like berry-berry perhaps?
I think that you should also contact dvla customer service department (http://press1for.co.uk/dvla-contact-number/). I have seen that they give a lot of support in these cases.