Fitness for Driving
Dr Alastair Leckie
Consultant in Occupational Medicine
OHSAS
Introduction

•	Legal basis
•	Practical basis
•	Particular scenarios
•	Company viewpoint
Legislation

•	Road Traffic Act 1988
–	Sections 93 and 93
•	Motor Vehicle (Driving Licence) Regs 1999
•	H&S legislation
Disability
•	Prescribed
–	Legal bar unless……
•	Relevant
–	Danger while driving
•	Prospective
–	Intermittent or progressive condition
•	Physical
–	Requiring adaptation of the vehicle
Duties and Responsibilities
•	Secretary of State for Transport responsible
•	Delegates to DVLA and its medical advisers
•	Licence holder must notify DVLA
–	Legal requirement and for insurance
•	Doctor’s duty is to notify patient of their duty
–	Except…..
Medical Standards
•	‘At a glance guide to the current medical standards of fitness to drive’
www.dvla.gov.uk/at_a_glance/content.htm
•	Honorary medical advisory panel
–	Cardiology, diabetes, neurology
•	Produce guide
•	Carry out individual assessment
Driving Roles
•	Car
–	Company/own
•	HGV/PCV
•	Minibus
•	FLT

•	Crane 
•	Mobile cranes
•	Taxi
•	Emergency response
Group 1 Licences
•	A	-	motorbikes
•	B	-	cars
•	C1	-	medium lorries 3.5-7.5 tonnes
•	D1	-	minibuses 9-16 passengers
Not for hire or reward
•	Licence until 70
•	3 yearly questionnaire review
Group 2 Licences
•	C	-	large goods vehicles >7.5 tonnes
•	D	-	buses >16 passengers
•	Much higher medical standard
•	Requires medical assessment and D4 form
–	On obtaining the licence
–	5 yearly after 45
–	Annually after 65
Special Groups
•	Ambulance
•	Taxis
•	Police drivers
•	Fire engine drivers

Relevant Medical Conditions
•	Licence holder notifies DVLA
•	DVLA write to licence holder
–	DVLA advises re driving
–	Consent
•	Undertakes a medical enquiry
Medical Enquiries
•	Telephone medical adviser
•	E-mail
•	Writing
•	General enquiries or specific with ‘M’ number
Medical Enquiry I
•	Lengthy process
•	Medical information
•	DVLA medical adviser decides
–	Licence issued
•	Doctors may advise – not decide
–	Decision is sent to the licence holder
Medical Enquiry II
•	Decision to licence holder
•	Fit
–	Ever
–	Period of time
–	Required to re-apply
–	May have group 2 licence revoked and retain group 1
Medical Assessment
•	History
•	Examination
•	+/- D4 form
•	+/- Additional medical information
Employers’ Perspective
•	Minimum legal standard
•	Higher company standard
•	Job and company dependent
–	Risk assessment
–	H&S law, DDA
Summary
•	Legislation
•	Practical implications
•	Specific scenarios
•	Company viewpoint