- Refer to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in England, Scotland and Wales or Driver & Vehicle Agency in Northern Ireland information on visual standards for driving.
- The DVLA and DVA will decide whether a person is medically unfit to drive.
- The patient must inform the DVLA or DVA if they have a condition which might affect safe driving.
- If you consider a patient does not meet the vision standards for driving, you should advise them not to drive.
- If the patient continues to drive, and you cannot persuade them to stop, you should contact the DVLA or DVA and inform the patient. You may wish to discuss this with your professional or representative body first.
- You should provide guidance on tints.
- There is currently no legal eyesight requirement for a patient who drives a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair, although the DVLA does have recommendations for standards of vision.
A295
This guidance does not change what you must do under the law.
A296
Group 1 drivers must be able to read a number plate in good daylight at a distance of 20m and have binocular acuity of 6/12. They must also meet certain visual field requirements. There are additional requirements for Group 2 drivers.
A297
You should refer to the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in England, Scotland and Wales, or the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) Northern Ireland, for information on visual standards required for driving various classes of vehicle.109, 110, 111
A298
When advising drivers on the most suitable form of lens for their needs, you should consider the transmission of any tinted lens and whether it is suitable for night driving. An anti-reflection coating will improve the transmission of the lens.
References
109 Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) (2018). Assessing Fitness to Drive: a guide for medical professionals [Accessed 1 Nov 2023]110 General Optical Council. Advice from the DVLA. GOC eBulletin Sept 2013 [Accessed 1 Nov 2023]
111 Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) A Guide to Visual Standards for Drivers [Accessed 1 Nov 2023]
A299
The DVLA and the DVA have legal responsibility for deciding if a person is medically unfit to drive.
A300
The patient is legally responsible for informing the DVLA or DVA, if they do not meet the vision standard for driving. Information on how they can do this is in the Useful information section below. However, if you think the patient may pose a very real risk of danger to the public, but you are not sure whether you should act, ask yourself:
- what might the outcome be in the short or longer term if I do not raise my concern?
- how could I justify not raising the concern?
A301
If you decide that the patient is unfit to drive, you should:
- tell the patient that they are unfit to drive and give the reasons. You may wish to discuss your concerns with a relative or carer, if the patient consents to this
- tell the patient that they have a legal duty to inform the DVLA or DVA about their condition and that you may be obliged to tell the DVLA or DVA if the patient continues to drive when they are unfit to do so
- put your advice in writing to the patient
- record your advice and keep a copy of any correspondence to the patient on the patient record.
A302
If the patient does not accept that they are unfit to drive, you may suggest that they seek a second opinion. You should advise the patient not to drive in the meantime.
A303
Sometimes, the actions in the section, If you think a patient is unfit to drive, might not achieve their aim, or would take too long to do so. You have a duty of confidentiality to the patient, but this is not absolute and can be broken if it is in the public interest to do so. Guidance from the Department of Health includes the example of reporting a driver who rejects medical advice not to drive as one where the public interest can be a defence to breaching patient confidentiality.112
A304
If you conclude that the public interest outweighs the duty of confidentiality, you should tell the patient you intend to notify the DVLA or DVA. If the patient objects to your decision, you should listen to, and record their reasons for doing so.
A305
If you decide to notify the DVLA or DVA you should:
- notify the appropriate authority (DVLA or DVA) in writing, and, if appropriate, provide evidence of clinical findings (see useful information below)
- notify the patient
- make a note on the patient record
- consider whether to notify other healthcare professionals, such as the patient’s GP.
A306
If you are considering informing the DVLA or DVA that the patient may not be fit to drive, you may wish to contact your professional or representative body for advice.
References
112 Department of Health(2010) Confidentiality: NHS Code of Practice. Supplementary Guidance: Public Interest Disclosures [Accessed 1 Nov 2023]
See section on Confidentiality.
A307
BS EN ISO 12312-1:2013113 attributes filters for sunglare use into five groups, according to their range of luminous transmittance (Tv):
| Filter category | Description | Range of luminous transmittance in the visible spectral range |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | clear or very light tint | from over 80% to 100% |
| 1 | light tint | from over 43% to 80% |
| 2 | medium tint | from over 18% to 43% |
| 3 | dark tint | from over 8% to 18% |
| 4 | very dark tint | from over 3% to 8% |
A308
Filters suitable for road use and driving shall be of categories 0, 1, 2 or 3 and in addition:
- the spectral transmittance of filters suitable for road use shall be not less than 0.2 x Tv for wavelengths between 475 and 650 nm, and
- the relative visual attenuation coefficient Q of filters of categories 0, 1, 2 and 3 suitable for driving and road use shall be not less than 0.8 for red and yellow signal lights, not less than 0.6 for yellow, green and blue signal lights.
A309
Sunglass filters with a luminous transmittance of less than 75% are not suitable for road use in twilight or at night.
A310
There is currently no legal eyesight requirement for a patient who drives a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair. The DVLA recommends that the person should be able to read a car’s registration numberplate from a distance of 12.3 metres (40 feet) and must monitor their ability to do this regularly.114
References
114 DVLA. Mobility Scooters and Powered Wheelchairs: the rules 5. Eyesight requirements [Accessed 1 Nov 2023]DVLA patient information leaflet: A guide to the standards of vision for driving cars and motorcycles (Group 1) [Accessed 1 Nov 2023]
DVLA. Check if a Health Condition Affects Your Driving [Accessed 1 Nov 2023]
Drivers with licences issued by the DVLA can notify the DVLA online [Accessed 1 Nov 2023]
DVLA notification can be provided by healthcare professionals in confidence to: medadviser@dvla.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone 01792 782338
Medical Business Support
D7 West
DVLA
Swansea SA6 7JL
Contact details for the DVA [Accessed 1 Nov 2023]
General Medical Council (2017) Confidentiality: Patients’ fitness to drive and reporting concerns to the DVLA or DVA [Accessed 1 Nov 2023]
General Optical Council (2020) Vision and Safe Driving – what to do if a patient’s vision means they may not be fit to drive [Accessed 1 Nov 2023]
