Autism and driving - new dvla rules

[ineedaknittedhat]

www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/03/autistic-people-angry-at-having-to-disclose-diagnosis-to-dvla-even-if-driving-not-affected

The rules used to say that you had to inform them if your driving was affected, now you have to disclose it regardless.

You have to seek permission from your GP or specialist (hollow laugh) in order to continue driving, and complete a form sent to you by the dvla.

They class asd as a mental health condition (it's not).

Aspergers is included in this classification.

Just thought fellow autistics should be aware as you get fined £1000 for not informing them.

knitting
Can you phone DVLA up and tell them that your driving is NOT affected, and that you only contacted them due to their confusing instructions.
So they can cancel your request for the form and amend their information.

They have clarified this today.

Thanks for posting that Cwtches . Now can we campaign to get organisations like the DVLA not to refer to autistic spectrum disorder . So rude Autistic spectrum condition please. I can cope with the acronym ASD because to my mind it stands for ‘autistic spectrum difference*. It is when they word ‘disorder’ is paired with ‘autism’ that my blood boils.

They have clarified that they have done a u-turn, but another autistic person has contacted the DVLA today, and those people (like me and the OP) who have already mentioned their diagnoses to them still need to complete the forms.

I know I've said this before, but I don't want the OP to think she can ignore it - at least ring them to see if you're able. My form went off yesterday, unfortunately.

I'm genuinely confused. How might autism affect your driving?

Autism is a developmental disorder of the brain which affects people in hugely different ways - these may include problems with sensory processing and physical co-ordination, so it makes sense for it to be a declarable condition IF it affects you enough to impair your movement and processing.

However, if an autistic person has passed their test, that to my mind means they are competent to drive and should not have to declare it to the DVLA. All of this has been a ridiculous and thoroughly confusing cock-up by the DVLA IMHO.

I agree Callieach. It’s diferent to most conditions that develop and progress. For example, my Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, he had to inform them of that. For now he’s okay to drive but at some point presumably he won’t be fit any more (I can tell his reaction times are not as quick as some but currently sufficient to drive). He’s bought an automatic car to make
driving easier. But that’s a changeable condition that’s occurred since he passed his test. Autism is unlikely to change and if I passed my test at 17 then I am as competent to drive now since my autism hasn’t changed - actually if anything I am better since I can now use sat nav!

Callieach - thanks. Though that suggests that there's no difference between an autistic person and an NT person with varying degrees of ability in sensory processing and co-ordination. Except the NT person doesn;t have to declare it. Hmm.

www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/media-centre/news/2019-03-04-dvla.aspx

I'm glad they've clarified it, I'm telling them nothing. I passed my test on merit just like everyone else, and until they sort out tailgaters, speed freaks and dickheads on their phones I shall not be saying a damn thing. Not that it affects my driving anyway!

My dd applied for her provisional license last month and as it had the phrase "if it affects your..." we didn't tick it. Have we now filled it in wrongly?

It says "if you have aspergers and it affects your driving" then you must inform us.
So I'm pretty sure we didn't tick the box as we don't think it will affect her driving, as her issues are more social in nature and she is diagnosed as Aspergers, not ASD.

They changed it, removing the 'if it affects your driving' part, and said that if you were autistic then you had to inform them. They've since backtracked and changed it back, don't worry.