Over 600,000 drivers are on high alert as they might risk losing their licence due to a straightforward DVLA rule on specific medical conditions. Those affected include individuals with conditions such as epilepsy and strokes.
If you’ve experienced a seizure in the last year, you could be deemed unfit for driving and face the possibility of your licence getting revoked.
The rules state that those who have had a seizure while awake and lost consciousness in the past 12 months are likely to have their driving licence removed. This is done to ensure the safety of both the individual driver and others on the road.
Greg Wilson, car insurance guru and head honcho at Quotezone.co.uk, made it crystal clear: “In order to be able to drive you must have been seizure-free for 12 months, if someone is said to have had a seizure whilst awake, their licence will be revoked and after six months they may be able to have it back with a medical advisors go ahead.”
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With a whopping approximate of 630,000 people living with epilepsy across the UK, this regulation could majorly impact scores of motorists. The official GOV.UK site warns: “You must tell DVLA if you’ve had any epileptic seizures or blackouts. You must stop driving straight away.”
Drivers who fail to report a medical condition affecting their ability to drive could face a hefty fine of up to £1,000 and might even be prosecuted if involved in an accident as a result. The loss of a licence isn’t necessarily the end of the road though, reports Chronicle Live.
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New measures are being introduced for drivers affected by seizures due to changes in their anti-epilepsy medication, enabling them to reapply for their licence more rapidly. Those who’ve had a seizure over six months ago and have switched back to their initial medication could be back behind the wheel soon.
Additionally, individuals who experience non-consciousness-affecting seizures may still be eligible for a licence, especially if it’s been a year since their first seizure without any impairment of awareness. For further guidance, GOV.UK advises: “DVLA will let you know whether or not you qualify after you’ve filled in the form. Until you hear from them you must stop driving.”