Should I report my colleague for this?

[ZZTopp]

My colleague had some kind of seizure about a month ago. She lost consciousness whilst out walking. She was upset and confused when she regained consciousness and was taken to A & E.

She spent a few days in hospital having tests, luckily everything appeared normal. She was told at the hospital she cannot drive for the foreseeable future.

She has been getting a lift to and from work, but I saw her one evening by coincidence driving from the shops.

I asked her the next day in work how she was finding not driving to see if she would admit driving but she just said it’s ‘quite difficult’. I then said I had seen her and she admitted she had driven to the shops. She then said she didn’t tell me because she feels judged. She said the doctors have found nothing wrong with her and she feels well. I said well I think the doctors know best and she replied with, ‘the doctors can only base their decisions and diagnosis on information and test results- my test results are normal and I know how I feel’.

should I report her to the DVLA / police / manager at work?

Are you sure she's been told not to drive indefinitely? It would be unusual. And what do you mean by seizure? If she was out walking did she just faint?

I had a few episodes of fainting in the summer, probably because of low blood pressure due to slight dehydration when it was very hot, but I've never had any specific diagnosis. I've also never been told not to drive - the risk of fainting when you're sitting is entirely different to when you're standing.

Also, my mum's been suffering double vision on and off for months. You'd think that was a definite no no for driving, but they've just told her to be sensible.

So, you don't know all the details and I don't think anyone will be very interested if you do report. It's just as likely that she said she couldn't drive to get some time off as it is that doctor has actually "banned" her for one episode.

You can report people anonymously to the DVLA, OP.

That is absolutely what I would do. They can then make enquiries and get medical reports about your colleague.

DVLA, definitely.

the risk of her killing someone while out driving is too great.

nobody had a “right” to drive. The safety of others is a prime factor. That’s why learners are allowed out alone - because the risks are too high.

Doctors are selfish cunts too shocker.

I couldn't drive for 8 months for health reasons I had 3 small children, a husband working shifts and work to get to. It was tough but hey ho at least I didn't put anyone else at risk.

Should of added I felt totally fine.

So, you don't know all the details and I don't think anyone will be very interested if you do report.

Yes, they will. They will enquire into the circumstances and make a decision.
Nobody at the DVLA will say "oh, who cares, let's not bother investigating that
one."
They have a duty to investigate.

Just stick your nose out, who needs enemies with the likes of you around. It's Christmas week just be nice

Yeah, OP, who cares if she has another seizure when she's driving and causes an accident? you'll have Been Nice and as we all know, that's what counts when you're a woman, doesn't it?

Those posters saying mind your own business, can I ask you something?
Worst case scenario In a month you read a news report about a woman who had a seizure behind the wheel and ran through a crossing, killing two children...
And the op comes and says this was her. I decided to mind my own business.

Will you be saying never mind, op, you did the right thing, it was none of your business?

Thats what sprung to mind too.

he also thought he knew better than doctors.

They won't be here. It'll be another lot slating her for not saying anything and wishing evils on OP and her posterity.

Strangely enough doctors don't have special powers. They don't have the power to insist that people do things or follow their advice. I think the OP sounds like a real busybody with a liking for snooping and trying to catch people out.

Google 'child killed by driver having medical episode' and then say that the nice thing to do, during the worst driving conditions (winter) is to not report. Unsafe driving kills people, causes life changing injuries etc. If she shouldn't be driving she won't be insured and even just having a basic crash could ruin someone's Christmas. I haven't been told that I can't drive but the way my hands can go numb combined with chronic fatigue makes me unsafe and I won't risk someone else's life, especially that of a child.

Alarmist, much?

It very much depends on whether she’s been told she must surrender her licence and what was actually wrong with her.

It’s obviously not advisable for someone with unexplained seizures to drive, but if there is no reason for the seizure, it’s an isolated event and the doctors have given her the ok, I don’t really see the problem.

Given the OP doesn’t know any of this as far as I can tell, reporting her colleague would be a really shit thing to do and the OP should keep her beak out.

A lot of times it is impossible to find the cause of epilepsy. My sister has it and yet nothing turns up in the tests. I presume that if the colleague manages to go for a significant period of time without another seizure she will be allowed to drive again. But meanwhile she is a danger to everyone and needs to be reported.

Why would you even think of reporting her to you employers? Fair enough maybe to the DVLC , we did this when FIL wanted to keep driving despite his encroaching dementia and it was horrible. But the right thing to do.

There are hundreds of people every year told by doctors not to drive due to medical conditions, that don't hand back their driving licences to DVLA

thats one reason the roads are dangerous

if you have your driving licence taken from you for medical reasons then you are eligible for a free bus pass

No that's why they submit a report to the DVLA and they have the power, combined with the Police and Courts (heard of them?) they can insist that the law is complied with. I don't believe that the family and friends of the elderly drivers who have driven the wrong way etc and wiped out a family didn't know how bad things were and chose to ignore it.

I presume that if the colleague manages to go for a significant period of time without another seizure she will be allowed to drive again.

correct

@Littlechickenhead She says the doctors have given her the all clear. I once worked with a woman who had two minor strokes and who claimed that her doctors had told her it was OK to start smoking again, so I'd treat that claim with more than a pinch of salt.

People have an amazing ability to interpret information they've been given to rationalise doing what they want to do.

For those saying it isn't the OP's business - I once reported a 96 year old woman who had dementia to the DVLA. I had been looking after her and her family had helped her to fill in forms saying she had no medical conditions, because they thought she "enjoyed driving" and "needed the car to get her shopping" - despite the fact that she had live-in carers. She was a dangerous menace on the roads.

Anyway - she was a very poor driver. After I sent in the report, she reversed out of her garage straight into my car, (and damaged it). Apparently that was my fault because my car was in her way. FFS.

The DVLA arranged for her to have another driving test. Two days before it, she ran a woman over, just round the corner from her house, then reversed into the crowd of people who came to help the accident victim.

She then drove herself home. The police arrived fairly soon afterwards and told her she could either have the driving test, or hand over the keys to them immediately.

She handed over the keys.

You don’t what has been discussed since her test results, they may have concluded it wasn’t a seizure at all and was just a vasovagal attack, in which case she may have been told she can resume driving. You’ve also completely dropped yourself in it by quizzing her about driving, so if you report her she will know it’s you.

If you have a seizure you need to report it to DVLA, they have a whole list of medical things that invalidate insurance. The fact it's been logged with the doctors will be enough to invalidate her insurance.
You don't just get seizures, there is something underlying going on. Next time it might happen at the wheel?
Get her irresponsible selfish ass reported!

Report to DVLA that is.

The way you've gone about this is so under hand and unpleasant.