Number Of Licence Revocations Due To Diabetes At A 5 Year Low
Monday, 28. October 2019
As someone who was diagnosed type 2 diabetes last year I was concerned about my driving licence. However, following a change to diet and medication my glucose reading dropped from a high reading of over 9.0 to 5.2 which is now at a normal level. Glad I was checked when I was.
The following report reveals licence revocations for all sorts of conditions.
DIABETES medical revocations have hit a five-year low as it was revealed the DVLA take away less driving licences from sufferers compared to previous years. Diabetes patients taking insulin saw just 1,713 driving licences revoked on medical grounds in a massive fall of almost 800 on 2017 figures which stood just shy of 2,500.
The figure is considerably lower than statistics over the last five years which has consistently put diabetes revocations between 2,400 and 2,600 each year.
Diabetes sufferers on tablets also saw a massive fall in medical revocations in 2018 as figures revealed a third consecutive yearly fall to 144, down from 209.
Diabetes patients driving a bus or lorry also saw a slight reduction in driving licence revocations compared to last year to hit 962.
The figure is down on the 973 medical revocations in this category in 2017 but is slightly higher than pre-2016 numbers.
The data was released by the DVLA through a Freedom of Information Act request which revealed the most common reasons why driving licences are revoked on medical advice.
The data showed dementia was the most popular reason why licences were revoked for car drivers.
A massive 7,767 dementia sufferers saw their licenses taken away on medical grounds last year in a new five-year high.
Numbers have crept up considerably over the last half a decade to increase by over 3,000 in a staggering 64.7 percent increase.
Speaking on the findings, a DVLA spokesman told Express.co.uk: “By law, all drivers must ensure that they are medically fit to drive and must notify us of the onset or worsening of a medical condition that could affect this.
“Where we are notified of a medical condition that may affect driving, the driver may be referred for further assessment. We then make an evidence-based decision on whether the driver can retain their licence.
“If anyone has concerns whether a medical condition could affect their ability to drive, we would advise they speak to their doctor or a medical professional involved in their care.”
Other highly targeted illnesses include epilepsy whose sufferers have seen more than 5,700 medical revocations in 2018. By Graham Hill With Thanks To The Express
