Stroke or Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)
The DVLA provides stroke/TIA specific advice for assessment of driving after a stroke or Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA or mini stroke) In summary, group 1 licence holders (generally non professional drivers) who have a stroke must not drive for a month and can only resume if there has been a satisfactory clinical recovery. The DVLA only has to be notified if one month after the stroke there are physical, cognitive or visual issues.
People who have a single TIA must not drive for a month and don’t need to notify the DVLA.
Those who have multiple strokes/TIAs must not drive for 1 month following their most recent stroke/TIA and can only resume if there has been a satisfactory clinical recovery, especially relating to visual, cognition and physical difficulties. The DVLA only has to be notified if recovery is not deemed satisfactory.
Other neurological conditions
The DVLA also provides specific advice for assessment of driving for a number of neurological conditions, including individuals with a Serious Neurological Disorder, Epilepsy, Chronic Neurological Disorders (including Multiple Sclerosis and Motor Neurone Disease), Parkinson’s Disease, Benign Brain Tumours, Malignant Brain Tumours, Traumatic Brain Injuries. For a full list of conditions and their specific guidance please review the DVLA website.
Applicants and licence holders have a legal duty to:
- notify the DVLA of any injury or illness that would have a likely impact on safe driving ability (except some short-term conditions)
- notify the DVLA if a condition or disability has got worse since you got your licence
- respond fully and accurately to any requests for information from either the DVLA or healthcare professionals
- comply with the requirements of the issued licence, including any periodic medical reviews indicated by the DVLA
You can be fined if you don’t tell DVLA about a medical condition that affects your driving. You may be prosecuted if you’re involved in an accident as a result.
Useful Resources
Information for specific neurological conditions
- Stroke Association – Driving after a stroke/TIA
- MND: Getting around.pdf (mndassociation.org)
- Acquired Brain Injury: Driving after brain injury | Headway
- Parkinson’s Disease driving questionnaire | Parkinson’s UK (parkinsons.org.uk)
- Parkinson’s Disease: B064 Driving and Parkinson’s WEB.pdf (parkinsons.org.uk)
- Multiple Sclerosis: Layout 1 (mssociety.org.uk)
- Dementia UK: Driving and dementia
- FND: FND Action – Driving
- Brain tumours: DVLA driving regulations (Cambridge University Hospitals NHS FT)
- Epilepsy: Epilepsy Action: Information about driving with epilepsy
- Huntington’s Disease Association: Planning for the future (Driving guidelines pages 8&9)
Driving Mobility Centre
- DVLA – Check if a health condition affects your driving
- DVLA – Assessing fitness to drive: guide for medical professionals
- DVLA – Section 88 The Road Traffic Act 1988 (Information leaflet)
- DVLA – Neurological disorders: assessing fitness to drive
- DVLA – Report a medical condition (Form STR1)
- DVLA – Reporting a stroke/TIA for Group 1 drivers
- DVLA – Reporting a stroke/TIA for Group 2 drivers (Form STR1V)
- DVLA – Report a visual impairment (Form V1)
- DVLA – Car or motorcycle drivers who have had a stroke or TIA. When you need to tell us leaflet
- DVLA: Guidance on reporting to the DVLA
- DVLA: Report dementia and other cognitive impairments (Form CG1)
Other
- Assessing fitness to drive – a guide for medical professionals (publishing.service.gov.uk) (Jan 2024) Please note these are updated every 12 months
- Travel Vouchers for people with disabilities in GM
- GM Transport – Accessible and low cost minibus service
- Driving Mobility video
- GMNISDN: Information for stroke patients/carers
- GM Community Stroke & Neurorehabilitation Referral Form and contact list
- Visual Impairment Patient Driving Leaflet
- GMC – Confidentiality
- RCOT – Fitness to drive
- Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Travel vouchers for disabled people | Bee Network | Powered by TfGM
- Ring & Ride accessible minibuses | Bee Network | Powered by TfGM
- Apply for ot renew a Blue Badge
- Driving after a stroke – Daniel’s Story