The number of drivers with medical conditions that are waiting for their driver licences has increased by 65% in one year…
Drivers With Medical Conditions Face Backlog
The number of motorists waiting for a medical driving licence has increased by a whopping 132,869 people in just 12 months (a 65% increase). A medical driving licence is issued when a motorist suffers from a medical condition that may affect their ability behind the wheel. Conditions might include the likes of epilepsy, diabetes or a number of heart conditions. Drivers are required by law to report any relevant conditions to the DVLA.
Back in March 2021, there were 203,890 applications for medical licences. This figure increased to 336,759 in March 2022. Drivers with health issues account for around 39% of the roughly 800,000 people in the UK currently waiting for their licences to be issued. Research from Heycar suggests that an increasing number of people are having to wait to six months before receiving them.
According to the DVLA, it’ll return to what it calls a ‘normal’ turnaround by the end of May. This, it claims, consists of waiting times of around three weeks. It also wants medical applications to be completed within 90 days by September of this year.
‘A Source of Anxiety’
Sarah Tooze, consumer editor at Heycar, believes the lengthy waiting times are a source of anxiety for many drivers. She said, “while some may be able to drive while their application is being processed this isn’t the case for everyone – and many are too scared to take the risk as they are unclear on the DVLA guidelines”.
She continued, “but an even greater source of anxiety for drivers with medical conditions is simply not knowing what is happening with their application. They accept the Covid-19 pandemic has caused delays but not hearing from the DVLA or being able to speak to anyone for months on end is unacceptable”.
Smart Motorways Are ‘Safest’ Roads In The UK – https://autoservefleet.co.uk/latest-news/smart-motorways-are-safest-roads-in-the-uk/
One In Five Cars In The UK Has Covered 100k Miles Or More – https://autoserve.co.uk/motoring-news/one-in-five-cars-in-the-uk-has-covered-100k-miles-or-more/
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