Driving with a mental illness
If an individual is aware that their depression or any other condition physical or psychological can significantly impair their ability to drive, and do not declare this to the DVLA, they can be charged a penalty of up to £1000. If this results in an accident, they can also be faced with prosceution.
How can patients avoid such consequences?
If a patient thinks that their disability may affect their driving, they can discuss this with their GP. If this is the case, they then must fill in questionnaire and send it back to the DVLA. The table below provides information on what type of vehicle requires a particular form, and where individuals can gain access to it.
Some conditions which can affect driving include:
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Depression
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Psychotic depression
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Bipolar
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Epilepsy
What is meant by surrendering a license ?
If after confirming with their GP, the patient has a "notifiable" condition, they must surrender their license. to the DVLA
So far we have considered the the pharmacotherapy of depression, how to help patients manage their condition and how we can use our expertise in order to contirbute to their recovery. But what about when we can't be by the patient's side? Driving with a psyhiatric disorder is not a problem for most individuals, however there are some who can place themselves and others in serious harm. Driving requires focus, attention and care. Unfortunately in some cases, this may not always be achievable.