DVLA License Revoked RE: Alcohol Misuse

hiiw

Hello, new to the forum and have a question concerning appealing to the DVLA over their decision to suspend my license.

I was admitted to a psychiatric ward from December 2016 - February 2017, and upon discharge informed by my consultant that she believed I was fit to drive. After being discharged, the home treatment team informed me that I was required to send in a medical enquiry form to the DVLA to declare my mental health conditions. I did this in Feb/March 2017 (unsure of exact date), and in the interest of transparency, ticked the box to say I have misused alcohol over the last 6 months (to be completely accurate - this was largely from Oct 2016-Dec 2016, prior to my hospital admission).

The DVLA wrote back to me in a letter dated 29/03/17, to inform me that "medical information received confirms that you have a history of persistent alcohol misuse within the past 6 months, therefore you must not drive. This means your entitlement to drive will be revoked from 31 March 2017." I.e. they have no concerns with my mental state, but rather my alcohol use.

Now, I would personally argue that my alcohol use has been controlled since January 2017. I have never been alcohol dependent, and my blood test results demonstrate this. I have never been breathalysed or had any issues with drink driving. I have complied with substance abuse treatment in the form of weekly sessions with a substance abuse worker, and I have complied with mental health treatment.

I appreciate that a 6 month window of abstinence/controlled drinking must be enforced, but I'm wondering whether I can appeal for this window to begin earlier than the end of March? My GP has said my medical records should allow for this, and I also have a letter of support from my substance abuse worker. Basically, if I could potentially get my license back by ~July as opposed to November, that would really improve a lot of things for me.

I would also greatly appreciate any advice on how to go about writing a letter of appeal to the DVLA? I've tried searching for template letters to get an idea of how to word one, but haven't come across anything relevant to appealing a substance misuse decision.

One more question... does anyone know whether having my license suspended will affect my insurance? I have 2 years no claims bonus' and no points on my license.

Thanks in advance.

AndyMc.....

hiiw wrote: »

Hello, new to the forum and have a question concerning appealing to the DVLA over their decision to suspend my license.

I was admitted to a psychiatric ward from December 2016 - February 2017, and upon discharge informed by my consultant that she believed I was fit to drive. After being discharged, the home treatment team informed me that I was required to send in a medical enquiry form to the DVLA to declare my mental health conditions. I did this in Feb/March 2017 (unsure of exact date), and in the interest of transparency, ticked the box to say I have misused alcohol over the last 6 months (to be completely accurate - this was largely from Oct 2016-Dec 2016, prior to my hospital admission).

The DVLA wrote back to me in a letter dated 29/03/17, to inform me that "medical information received confirms that you have a history of persistent alcohol misuse within the past 6 months, therefore you must not drive. This means your entitlement to drive will be revoked from 31 March 2017." I.e. they have no concerns with my mental state, but rather my alcohol use.

Now, I would personally argue that my alcohol use has been controlled since January 2017. I have never been alcohol dependent, and my blood test results demonstrate this. I have never been breathalysed or had any issues with drink driving. I have complied with substance abuse treatment in the form of weekly sessions with a substance abuse worker, and I have complied with mental health treatment.

I appreciate that a 6 month window of abstinence/controlled drinking must be enforced, but I'm wondering whether I can appeal for this window to begin earlier than the end of March? My GP has said my medical records should allow for this, and I also have a letter of support from my substance abuse worker. Basically, if I could potentially get my license back by ~July as opposed to November, that would really improve a lot of things for me.

I would also greatly appreciate any advice on how to go about writing a letter of appeal to the DVLA? I've tried searching for template letters to get an idea of how to word one, but haven't come across anything relevant to appealing a substance misuse decision.

One more question... does anyone know whether having my license suspended will affect my insurance? I have 2 years no claims bonus' and no points on my license.

Thanks in advance.

You will need to ask your insurance that question. Some policies require you to hold a valid driving licence whilst others will state you must hold, have held a licence and not be disqualified from holding such licence.

patman99

Good luck with dealing with the DVLA. Had your licence been revoked prior to your consultant telling you to fill in and send off the forms?. If not, then why did you fill them in?.

Back in 2011 I was waiting for a cataract operation and was told I needed to inform DVLA that my sight was not to the required standard to drive. I didn't bother. Instead, I just stopped driving until after my operation.

I had decided that as the wait to get the licence back was greater than the period I had to wait for the operation it was not worth the bother.

Shaka_Zulu

Just wait until you can answer the question truthfully.

hiiw

patman99 wrote: »

Good luck with dealing with the DVLA. Had your licence been revoked prior to your consultant telling you to fill in and send off the forms?. If not, then why did you fill them in?.

Back in 2011 I was waiting for a cataract operation and was told I needed to inform DVLA that my sight was not to the required standard to drive. I didn't bother. Instead, I just stopped driving until after my operation.

I had decided that as the wait to get the licence back was greater than the period I had to wait for the operation it was not worth the bother.

My license was not revoked prior, no. But I was informed by the home based treatment team (outpatient psych service) that if I failed to declare my illness' my insurance would be void. So I felt it was in my best interest to do so rather than discover at a later date that my insurance was invalid. If this wasn't necessary/could have been avoided I feel pretty cheated tbh.

patman99

Who would have informed your insurers?.

You would have been within your right to not mention your previous alcohol abuse as it was outside the six months and you had had no alcohol abuse for over a year.

George_Michael

patman99 wrote: »

You would have been within your right to not mention your previous alcohol abuse as it was outside the six months and you had had no alcohol abuse for over a year.

According to the OP, the period that they had an alcohol problem only ended in December last year so it was less than six months ago.

hiiw wrote: »

and in the interest of transparency, ticked the box to say I have misused alcohol over the last 6 months (to be completely accurate - this was largely from Oct 2016-Dec 2016, prior to my hospital admission).