Support Over Your Lifetime
Driving and medical conditions
Some links on this page have been colour coded to make it easier to find the information you need:
LOCAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL
Driving assessment at a mobility centre
From Driving Mobility
Many patients find a driving assessment supportive, to reassure themselves (and also family members) and also to get advice about vehicle modifications if relevant.
Driving assessments Driving assessments – Driving Mobility
“A driving assessment is different from a driving test. It is designed to review your driving and you will be given an honest opinion of your skills and ability.”
“People that choose to take a driving assessment do so for a variety of reasons:
- You may want to investigate vehicle modification options because of a physical disability such as a limb amputation or, for example, because you have become less able following a stroke.
- You may be seeking confirmation that you are still able to drive safely following a recent diagnosis of a medical condition, or a condition such as dementia
- You may want reassurance as you get older and your reactions have slowed a little
Find a mobility centre
The Driving Mobility search engine can help you find your closest mobility centre
The Mobility Centre for Buckinghamshire is in Aylesbury but you may find a closer centre outside the county.
Find a centre Find a centre – Driving Mobility
Book a road safety driving assessment through the council
From Buckinghamshire Council
Book a road safety driving assessment | Buckinghamshire Council
NATIONAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL
From the DVLA
Check online if you need to tell the DVLA about your condition and how to tell the DVLA
Telling the DVLA about a medical condition or disability Medical conditions, disabilities and driving – GOV.UK
Contact the DVLA directly if you are not sure what to do
Contact DVLA if you’re not sure what to do. Driving and medical issues – Contact DVLA – GOV.UK
FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS
medical conditions: can you drive and who should you inform
From the DVLA
- Medical conditions, disabilities and driving: Telling the DVLA about a medical condition or disability. Medical conditions, disabilities and driving – GOV.UK
- Check if a health condition affects your driving (A to Z) . Check if a health condition affects your driving – GOV.UK
From Patient info
- Which medical conditions affect your driving? Medical conditions that affect your driving | Patient
- Driving and Diabetes Do I need to inform the DVLA about my diabetes? | Driving and Diabetes | Patient
- Living with epilepsy: Driving Living with Epilepsy | Patient
From Age UK
- Driving and health conditions Driving & Health conditions | Age UK
- Worried about someone’s driving? Worried about someone’s driving? | Elderly drivers | Age UK
From the NHS
- Check you’re safe to drive with type 1 diabetes Type 1 diabetes – Check you’re safe to drive – NHS
- Living with Epilepsy Epilepsy – Living with – NHS
- Driving and using public transport if you have mobility issues Driving and using public transport if you have mobility issues – Social care and support guide – NHS
- Staying independent with dementia Staying independent with dementia – NHS
From the Alzheimer’s society
This is a very helpful series of supportive articles for patients with dementia, with a focus on keeping patient’s independent but safe as far as is possible.
“A diagnosis of dementia is not in itself a reason to stop driving. One in three people with dementia still drives. However, over time, dementia affects the skills needed for safe driving.”
Driving and dementia Driving and dementia | Alzheimer’s Society
From Driving Mobility
Helpful information on driving with a disability including the possibility of driving adaptations.
Driving with a disability Driving with a disability – Driving Mobility
From the DVLA
“You could be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA about a condition that might affect your ability to drive safely. You could also be prosecuted if you have an accident.” DVLA Medical conditions, disabilities and driving – GOV.UK
If you are not sure after reading the information available from DVLA then you can call the DVLA and they can support you in making the right decision (see contact details available under self-referral to National support)
From Patient info – Information for clinicians
Fitness to Drive Fitness to Drive. When is a fitness to drive test needed? | Patient
“It is the responsibility of the driver to inform the DVLA/DVA of any such medical condition which may affect ability to drive safely. It is the responsibility of doctors to advise patients that medical conditions (and drugs) may affect their ability to drive and for which conditions patients should inform the DVLA.”
“Drivers should also inform their insurance company of any condition disclosed to the DVLA/DVA.”
Older drivers
“Encourage relatives to contact DVLA if they believe a relative who has dementia should not be driving. Many elderly drivers who die in accidents are found to have Alzheimer’s disease.”
From DVLA – Information for clinicians
Accessing fitness to drive: a guide for medical professions Assessing fitness to drive: a guide for medical professionals – GOV.UK
Road SAFETY
Road safety is not just about driving, but also involves pedestrians, and cyclists, see under
- reduce your risk of accidents on the road see question “How can you reduce the risk of an accident on the road.”
alternatives to driving
If driving yourself is no longer an option, there are alternative options and you may also be eligible to support including with community transport, see under
