Driving: Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland

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Driving After A Stroke

For safety reasons, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has strict guidelines about who may and may not drive. A stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) may affect your ability to move, see, remember or concentrate. This can make it difficult or unsafe to drive, at least temporarily.

The information on the following pages is for guidance only. If you have any queries please discuss them with your doctor. If you or your physician would like further clarification, or are unsure whether notification is required, advice can be obtained from the Medical Advisors, DVLA, Longview Road, Swansea SA6 7JL telephone 0870 600 0301.

Group 1 Licence Holders—Motor Cars And Motorcycles

you are not allowed to drive for at least 1 month after a stroke or a TIA*

after a month if you are deemed fit to drive by your doctor you may resume driving. In this case you do not have to notify the DVLA **.

if after a month your doctor does not consider you well enough to drive you must then notify the DVLA. Contact the Drivers And Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

the DVLA will send you a questionnaire asking for permission to contact your doctor for further information about your condition if necessary and offering you different options about how to proceed.

one of the options given will be to temporarily surrender your licence. This means that you do not intend to drive until your GP considers you safe to do so.

No further action needs to be taken by the DVLA at this time.

This does not mean that your licence is revoked.

If at some point in the future your situation changes you can inform the DVLA that you wish to return to driving and they will seek information then about your fitness to drive.

if you do not choose to surrender your licence the DVLA will begin its enquiries about your fitness to drive at the time of notification. Your licence may be revoked until DVLA is satisfied that you are fit to drive.

*If you have frequent TIAs you will be advised not to drive until you have had a three-month period free from attacks. If your doctor agrees that it is safe for you to drive after the recommended period you may do so while the DVLA is making inquiries and coming to a decision.

** This is a recent change in regulations that makes it easier for those who have had a very mild stroke or a TIA, and are able to drive after the month has passed, to do so.

Once The DVLA Has Been Notified

The Medical Advisors at the DVLA will base their decision on whether you go back to driving or not on the information you provide and various assessments. Your GP or consultant may be asked for a report on your condition and whether they consider it safe for you to drive.

If your doctor feels unable to decide if you are fit to drive or it is unclear from the report you may be independently assessed by a GP on behalf of the DVLA or your GP may refer you for a driving assessment through the Scottish Driving Assessment Service.

A driving assessment is not a driving test. It is used to clarify if you are ready to go back to driving or not.

The following factors will be taken into consideration by the DVLA when they assess your fitness to drive

permanent damage to vision
problems with memory, judgement and concentration
slow reactions in an emergency
weakness, sensation loss or spasm in an affected limb
speech and language comprehension

Once the Drivers’ Medical Unit at the DVLA has all the information it needs, it will make a decision on whether you can drive. However this may take a few months. When a decision is made both you and your doctor will be informed.

Note—if you have modifications made to your car the DVLA will need to change the coding on your licence.

When Can The DVLA Revoke Your Licence?

If your driving licence has been revoked because you were not fit to drive but your condition subsequently improves, you can reapply for a licence.

If it is considered not safe for you to continue to drive, your licence will remain revoked. Be aware that the DVLA can also revoke your licence for non-compliance, for instance if you fail to send back an appropriately completed questionnaire, if you refuse permission for your doctor to be approached or if you refuse to agree to any of the assessments requested.

You are not allowed to drive until you have a full licence issued.

Scottish Driving Assessment Service

The Scottish Driving Assessment Service provides an assessment which will identify any problems caused by your stroke, and make recommendations about your safety to go back to driving.

This service also offers advice and help on any adaptations to your vehicle that may be necessary to enable you to drive after a stroke and information about driving lessons to help you to regain confidence or to help you learn to manage an adapted vehicle is also available. The service also offers advice and assessment for passengers.

Your GP or consultant can refer you to the service which is based at the Astley Ainslie in Edinburgh. You will then be given the option of being assessed by the Mobile Driving Assessment Service in Inverness, Glasgow, Paisley, Dumfries, Irvine or Dundee which visits these sites regularly.

The Scottish Driving Assessment Service

Astley Ainslie Hospital

133 Grange Loan

Edinburgh

EH9 2HL

Telephone 0131 537 9192

Provisional Disability Assessment Licence

Recent changes have been introduced by the DVLA, so that when a driver applies to have a full licence reissued, the DVLA will have the option of issuing a Provisional Disability Assessment Licence which will allow the driver to be assessed on road by the driving assessment service to determine their fitness to drive.

The conditions of the licence will limit the driver to driving only on the day of the assessment, or sometimes following short periods of instruction. The driver will be subject to learner conditions such as L-plates, and driving under supervision. If the assessment is satisfactory, the DVLA may restore the full licence.

Insurance

After a month and/or when you are considered fit to drive and wish to resume driving you must let your insurance company know about your stroke and any modifications to your vehicle. If you fail to inform them and have to make a claim, you may find you are not insured as some insurers oblige holders to inform them of any changes to their personal circumstances. Your insurance company may want a doctor’s report to say if it is safe for you to drive again. You may have to look for another company if they are unable to provide cover.

Group 2 Licence Holders—Lorries And Buses

The medical standards are much higher in this category because of the size and weight of the vehicles and length of time the driver may spend at the wheel in the course of his/her occupation.

the DVLA has to be notified and refusal recommended for at least 12 months following the stroke or TIA
licensing can be considered after this period if there is a full and complete recovery and there are no other risk factors, subject to satisfactory medical reports

Taxi Drivers

The DVLA recommends that local councils should apply Group 2 medical standards to taxi drivers. Therefore you should check with your local licensing council that you are still entitled to drive your taxi.