Examining driving fitness rules with DVLA evidence

author: FutureCar Staff    

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has launched a call for evidence on driver licensing for individuals with medical conditions. The DVLA is responsible for assessing the fitness to drive of individuals with medical conditions and ensuring that driving licenses are only issued to those who meet the required medical standards. The call for evidence provides an overview of the current driver licensing framework and explores the medical licensing processes in other countries.

It is important to note that the call for evidence does not propose any specific changes to the system at this stage. Instead, it is a request for input to help shape potential future changes to the legislative framework. Richard Holden, the minister for roads and local transport, emphasizes the significance of considering the health and fitness of drivers in relation to road safety. He highlights that various medical conditions, disabilities, and treatments can impact an individual's ability to safely operate a vehicle.

The aim of the call for evidence is to gather a wide range of expertise, views, and research to identify areas where policy or legislative changes could enhance outcomes for drivers and other road users. The AA Charitable Trust and independent road safety campaigner Meera Naran have welcomed the call for evidence. Naran particularly emphasizes the need for a new framework to transfer information about drivers diagnosed with certain medical conditions that affect their driving from medical staff to the DVLA.

By 2035, the UK is expected to have 21 million older drivers on the roads, with the number of those with dementia projected to exceed two million by 2051. However, there are currently no precise figures on how many older drivers diagnosed with neurocognitive disorders hold licenses. Despite the General Medical Council (GMC) updating their guidance in 2017, there are no mandatory medical checks to confirm an individual's fitness to drive. The responsibility lies with the individual to notify the DVLA, despite calls from coroners for a change in this process.

In 2020, there were 174 fatal collisions caused by drivers over the age of 70, with "driver illness or disability (mental or physical)" being the fourth most common contributing factor. While drivers over 70 are required to apply for a new license every three years, there are no mandatory medical checks to assess their fitness to drive. The AA conducted a survey revealing that only a third of drivers had discussed the topic of driving safety with an older relative or friend.

Naran stresses the importance of updating current policies to ensure the responsibility of reporting unfit drivers lies with healthcare professionals, rather than family members. She believes that better communication between medical and licensing teams, along with guidance and support on discussing these matters, would improve safety for everyone. Edmund King, director of the AA Charitable Trust, supports the call for evidence and highlights the need for awareness of the risks posed by medically unfit drivers.

Currently, the law requires drivers to inform the DVLA if they develop a new medical condition or if an existing condition worsens. Drivers can notify the DVLA of any changes in their health through various channels. While some countries legally require doctors to inform the driver licensing authority about patients with medical conditions that may affect their ability to drive, there is no such obligation in Great Britain. However, doctors are encouraged by the GMC to notify the DVLA if they believe a patient poses a risk to themselves and others.

FutureCar Staff