DVLA Driving Guidelines on Medical Conditions

DVLA Driving Guidelines

• DVLA guidelines categorize driving restrictions based on medical conditions. There are two main categories, Group 1 and Group 2, for each condition.
• Group 1 conditions generally have less stringent restrictions than Group 2, with varying timeframes for driving cessation and notification requirements.

Epilepsy or Multiple Unprovoked Seizures

• Group 1: Driving must cease for 12 months from the most recent seizure.
• Group 2: Must be seizure-free for 10 years (without epilepsy medication) before licensing is reconsidered.

Stroke and Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

• Group 1: Driving may resume after 1 month if satisfactory recovery has occurred. DVLA notification is not needed unless there is a residual neurological deficit one month after the episode (visual field defects, cognitive defects, impaired limb function).
• Group 2: License refused or revoked for 1 year following a stroke or TIA. If no impairment for 1 year, the license may be reissued. Likely requires DVLA assessment.

TIA

• Group 1: Must not drive for 1 month but need not notify the DVLA. If more than one TIA is experienced, 1 month off driving is required after each episode. MUST NOTIFY DVLA.
• Group 2: Similar to strokes, with license refusal/revocation for a year. If improvement is observed, the license might be reissued. Requires DVLA assessment.

Typical Vasovagal Syncope

• Group 1: Can drive. Need not inform DVLA if there is an avoidable trigger that will not occur whilst driving. No driving unless annual risk recurrence is <20%.
• Group 2: Must not drive and MUST notify DVLA immediately. May need further investigation for the cause.

Cardiovascular Excluding Typical Syncope (Sitting or Standing)

• Group 1: Can drive after 4 weeks if the cause is treated. If no cause is found, license is revoked for 6 months.
• Group 2: Can drive after three months if cause is treated. No cause found, license revoked for 12 months. MUST notify DVLA.

Minimum Eyesight Requirements

• At 20 metres, readability of a vision test plate is required.
• Visual acuity is 6/12 in one or both eyes.
• Field of vision is 120 degrees.
• Other vision requirements are listed in Group 2 Specific Eyesight and Glasses.

Group 2 Specific Eyesight and Glasses

• Visual acuity of at least 6/7.5 in best eye and 6/60 in poorer eye.
• Glasses (if worn) cannot exceed +8 diopters.

Angina

• Group 1: Must not drive when symptoms occur (at rest, with emotion, at the wheel). Driving may be resumed after satisfactory symptom control. Need not inform DVLA.
• Group 2: Must not drive when symptoms occur. If they persist the license is revoked. May be relicensed if there is no angina for 6 weeks and the requirements for functional tests are met. MUST notify DVLA.

ACS (Type 1 + 2)

• Group 1: Driving may resume 1 week after a PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) and no other urgent re-vascularization is planned. LV EF (ejection fraction) must be >40% prior to discharge. If none of these apply, four weeks from the acute event. Need not inform DVLA.
• Group 2: License may be revoked, and then reissued after 6 weeks if exercise/functional tests are passed and LV EF is >40%. MUST notify DVLA.

Arrhythmia

• Group 1: Must not drive if the arrhythmia has caused or is likely to cause incapacity. Driving may resume only after underlying cause has been identified and the arrhythmia controlled for >4/52. MUST notify DVLA.
• Group 2: Must not drive if there is a risk of incapacity. Licence may be re-issued after the underlying cause is identified, arrhythmia is controlled for >3/12, and the LV EF is >40%. MUST notify DVLA.

Diet-Controlled Diabetes

• Group 1 and 2: No restrictions.

Oral Medications with Diabetes

• Group 1: No limit if under regular review and criteria for hypoglycemia are met.
• Group 2: Fully aware of hypoglycemia. May have short-term/complication related license issues.

Diabetes with Oral Medications for Hypoglycemia Risk

• Group 1: <1 severe hypo while awake in the past year. Must practise appropriate glucose monitoring.
• Group 2: Full hypo awareness, no episodes of severe hypo in the past year, regular monitoring. Must understand the risks of hypoglycaemia and not have any disqualifying complications.

Insulin-Treated Diabetes

• Group 1: Adequate hypo awareness, <1 severe hypo in past year, and must practise glucose monitoring. Must meet all other visual & clinical standards for 1-3 years licence.
• Group 2: Full hypo awareness, no episodes of severe hypo in the past year. Must test before driving and every two hours during driving. MUST notify DVLA.

Alcohol Misuse (Persistent)

• Group 1: License revoked until after a minimum of 6/12 of controlled drinking or abstinence and normalization of blood parameters.
• Group 2: License revoked until 1 year of controlled drinking or abstinence and blood parameter normalization. MUST notify DVLA.

Alcohol Dependence

• Group 1: License revoked until 1 year of abstinence and +/- normalisation of blood parameters. MUST notify DVLA.
• Group 2: License revoked until 3 years free of alcohol dependence, abstinence, and +/- normalization of blood parameters. MUST notify DVLA.

Drug Use (Cannabis, Amphetamines, Ecstasy, Ketamine, Psychoactives)

• Group 1: Medical enquiry and urine screen (by DVLA). Refusal/revocation of license. >6/12 free from misuse may result in re-licensing. MUST notify DVLA.
• Group 2: Medical enquiry and urine screen (by DVLA). Refusal/revocation of license. >1 year free from misuse may result in re-licensing. MUST notify DVLA (with persistent misuse).

Drug Use (Heroin, Morphine, Methadone, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, BZDs)

• Group 1: Refuse or revoke license. May relicense after >1 year free of misuse.
• Group 2: Refuse or revoke license. May relicense after >3 years free of misuse. MUST notify DVLA.

This quiz explores the DVLA driving guidelines related to various medical conditions, focusing on the distinctions between Group 1 and Group 2 categories. Learn about the specific requirements for conditions like epilepsy and stroke, and understand the timelines and notification protocols for resuming driving. Test your knowledge on how medical history impacts driving eligibility in the UK.