Driving after a TiA

tbw

Can anyone please advise on the regs for driving after a couple of suspected mini strokes ? My DH had a couple of short episodes (no physical problems just 10 minutes or so of confusion and talking absolute rubbish - no memory of what happened after recovery) back in March and again In April. Admitted to hospital each time, barrage of tests showed everything in good nick for his age (89) and no signs of damage anywhere. Consultants diagnosed probable TIA's and medicated for that and said he must not drive for 28 days after the last one. However, they cannot positively confirm the diagnosis and will only say 'probable' and that his brain scan may show a possible pre-disposition to temporal lobe epilepsy (can't get much vaguer than that !)

I have spoken to DVLA and they say he cannot drive for 3 months not 1month and want doctors reports. He is already 2 months into the 3 month period and it will probably take a lot longer to get the reports by the time we complete the form DVLA are sending us and write to the doctors and get reports . i can't find any firm info on their website as to the regs - they say different things in different places and the doctors say something different as well. If anyone else been in a similar situation and can advise I would appreciate it.

AdrianC

DVLA's opinion is the one that applies.

The consultant's "28 days" is one opinion, but DVLA's opinion is more cautious.

tbw

AdrianC wrote: »

DVLA's opinion is the one that applies.

The consultant's "28 days" is one opinion, but DVLA's opinion is more cautious.

Thank you. I certainly agree with that but on the DVLA website it does state 28 days. The 3 month period is what I was told over the phone and I can't find that in writing. The person I spoke to was very vague and even after the 3 months i don't know if DH can drive then or if we have to wait for a DVLA decision after they have spoken to his consultant. I just wondered if anyone else had been the n this position.

Mercdriver

ON here, DVLA have a reputation for being ridiculously slow at dealing with health issues. People waiting to have their entitlement returned to them often has to wait months.

Keep_pedalling

Mercdriver wrote: »

ON here, DVLA have a reputation for being ridiculously slow at dealing with health issues. People waiting to have their entitlement returned to them often has to wait months.

Better that than than depriving others of there entitlement of avoiding other drivers who are not fit to drive.

Mercdriver

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

Better that than than depriving others of there entitlement of avoiding other drivers who are not fit to drive.

I understand what you are saying. But some people who have been signed off as ready to drive again have on occasion been waiting months. Sure keep people that are not fit to drive off the road, but the system needs to be more efficient for those who have returned to fitness.

AdrianC

I might also point to the age of the driver in question - 89 yrs old...

I'm not saying that somebody of that age is inherently unfit to drive, but there certainly should be some large question marks, especially after something like a series of TIAs have led to a multi-month enforced break from driving.

sevenhills

WHAT IS your real “driving age”? A new online game claims to be able to identify how old you are based on how fast your reactions are at the wheel.
The game records your reaction time within a millisecond and calculates your age by how quickly, or slowly, you react when asked to perform an emergency stop. The predictions are based on the times of 2,000 people aged 18-76.


https://www.driving.co.uk/news/find-out-your-driving-age-in-this-reaction-test-game/


I did the test four times, it was within 5 years each time.

Mercdriver

sevenhills wrote: »

WHAT IS your real “driving age”? A new online game claims to be able to identify how old you are based on how fast your reactions are at the wheel.
The game records your reaction time within a millisecond and calculates your age by how quickly, or slowly, you react when asked to perform an emergency stop. The predictions are based on the times of 2,000 people aged 18-76.


https://www.driving.co.uk/news/find-out-your-driving-age-in-this-reaction-test-game/


I did the test four times, it was within 5 years each time.

I got 35, 25, 24, 24, 24, 19 and then - not sure if you are a human being - 290 miliseconds.

DUTR

sevenhills wrote: »

WHAT IS your real “driving age”? A new online game claims to be able to identify how old you are based on how fast your reactions are at the wheel.
The game records your reaction time within a millisecond and calculates your age by how quickly, or slowly, you react when asked to perform an emergency stop. The predictions are based on the times of 2,000 people aged 18-76.


https://www.driving.co.uk/news/find-out-your-driving-age-in-this-reaction-test-game/


I did the test four times, it was within 5 years each time.

I did the 'test' several times, not once did the results come near my age, according to the 'results' I'm at least 20years younger than I am :rotfl:

pinkshoes

My granddad has had 2 mini strokes recently (just slight numbness in his arm) and it was 28 days from the last episode before he could drive again.

He also had to notify his insurance.