How quickly do the DVLA act on concerns about unfit drivers?

[redstaff]

I reported my MIL to the DVLA, she is not medically fit to drive. How long does the process start? I reported her 4 days ago.

She was in hospital with respiratory failure on Saturday hooked up to a breathing thing but has now been discharged. She has a lot of medical conditions and is barely mobile. She slurs when she talks and is on some pretty powerful meds (Gabepentin, Epilum and high dose anti depressants plus a load more - at least 9 prescriptions id say). She does not have epilepsy, she takes the meds for migraines.

She can barely get out of her chair at home nor step in her ensuite shower (because the 10cm step is too high) but she’s talking about driving again next week!!

I’m just wondering how quickly the DVLA act on these things? I’m really worried that she’s going to seriously injure or kill someone?

*Her neighbour also said MIL shouldn’t be driving and has reported to the DVLA as well.

I think so yes. I just looked online on the DVLA. She has these three things (she has more medical condition that may well be on the list).

Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome (OHS)
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) hypercapnic respiratory failure

I think DH Will mention to her that she needs to notify the DVLA about these conditions.

I reported a neighbour in September… she is still driving.

She was reported by another neighbour shortly after, and most recently (May/june) by the local councillor.

Nothing has made a difference.

I don’t know if the DVLA wrote to her to tell her to go to the GP, but I told them there is a thigh high stack of post in her porch and she would not open any letter.

She is mentally unwell, a gambling addict and a hoarder. She has had multiple reports to the county council re safeguarding, adult welfare and antisocial behaviour. I asked for help from the local MP. I reported her to the community police officer… who turned up when I said she would not be in, knocked on the door and left inside 30 seconds.

But she refuses to engage with any intervention or offers of help so apparently she can just carry on! Ironically she is a delivery driver.

Myself and many other locals have witnessed her dreadful driving which will almost certainly cause an accident at some point.

When, and it is a when, not if, she causes an accident, we will be shouting it from the rooftops as to exactly who was informed and when, and I hope they throw the book at them.

Next time you see her get in the car, call the police. It is a police matter.

I'm sorry, OP, that you are having such a tough time while already having a difficult pregnancy.

I noticed the mention of double vision. I had one episode of double vision last year which was investigated by orthoptics department at local hospital. They were very firm with me that I must not drive when experiencing double vision - so if this is an ongoing problem with your MIL, then that alone would mean that she should not be driving.

As the neighbour has also attempted to have action taken, perhaps they would contact the Police locally for advice. Ideally, if the Police know when she's driving they could stop her.

My mum had an accident just before Xmas. No one was hurt thankfully. A think a witness reported her as unfit to drive to the police. The police sent her a letter saying she could go to court or do a driving assessment. She failed it twice on serious issues. It has taken 6 months to have her licence removed but luckily she didn't drive since the accident because it took ages to repair her car, then she failed the first assessment, had some lessons, then failed the second one.

I know what sleep apnoea is but never heard of the other 2 conditions so googled them...my goodness, with those symptoms I'm surprised she has any energy to move let alone drive a car...how on earth does she manoeuvre round a supermarket?

My experience relates to a family member who's had strokes and heart attacks but insisted he was safe to drive until a doc from the stroke ward said 'no driving'. License taken away. He has done everything to try and get licence back, contacted dvla daily (literally) and nagged them into taking a driving test. This took dvla at least 6 months to respond. Fortunately he failed the test, so no licence but he still harasses the dvla daily. His poor wife. 😢

Friend of mine was contacted by dvla to say her licence had been revoked because of reports of her driving...she never found out who reported her nor how long it took for dvla to respond to the requests. It took over a year for her to get her licence back.

Sounds like you've exhausted all external agencies to help your MIL. Personally I'd take a step back now, you've done all you can to help her so time to concentrate on you and the arrival of your baby!

It’s a very slow process. They will probably ask the GP for a report. (I deal with these in a surgery). I would estimate three months at the very least. You are also reliant on the GP knowing the situation as the problems you state will probably not be recorded in her medical records.

Unfortunately the medical dept at DVLA was massively scaled back during covid, and it's still struggling. I had to surrender my licence, as I'd had notifiable surgery. Getting it back was a nightmare, and they had around a 2 year backlog. I know it's extreme, but a ding is an accident, could you report her to the police? Sounds like a shock, may help the situation. I really didn't want to give up my licence, and it was a massive inconvenience....but, it was the right thing to do, and the fines and levels of prosecution, if I was involved in an accident go up.

The court finally took away my late FILs driving licence when he was both fined and prosecuted for driving offences. Even then he still tried to get his licence back but it never happened thankfully.

My late FILs consultant informed the DVLA when he was diagnosed with dementia, and they contacted him to tell him he could no longer drive.

We’d already taken his keys off him about 6 months before that, and eventually driven the car away from his house and parked it outside ours.

It may well be a fight if she’s hidden them/won’t give them up, but it’s a fight absolutely worth having if she’s risking herself and others.

When she was in hospital and assessed by the team prior to discharge (including OT/physio/the doctors) they will have asked about driving. It’s quite possible she WAS told not to drive (and the onus is then on the patient to self report to the DVLA).

Do you have power of attorney to be making such decisions? I'd be very wary about taking her keys etc as she could report a theft. I reported someone who was driving who was having seizures multiple times a week who drove every single day to her work in a school!!! Took 8 months before they even bothered to do anything about it. By which time her seizures miraculously stopped. It really does take a while unfortunately. It's awful as you and your family feel responsible if something happens. I totally get it. It's so difficult, but you are right, you can only do so much and you have a wee one to consider.

Can a neighbour so the dirty with the tyres??

Hope you're fitter soon

Can't you spend afternoon with a pal and your husband drive over and remove battery /hide keys...

I just wouldn't wait for baby to arrive....