Driving after a stroke: A guide to DVLA rules and insurance

What is a stroke or TIA and how can it affect driving?

There are different types of stroke, and when you can drive depends on the type of stroke you've had.

You might have a stroke because of a blood clot, these are often called:

• Ischaemic stroke

• Transient ischaemic attack (TIA or mini-stroke, these usually last for about 24 hours)

• Cerebral venous thrombosis (Usually due to a blocked blood vessel leaving the brain)

• Retinal artery occlusion and amaurosis fugax (vision loss because of a blood clot in the back of the eye)

Strokes can also happen because of bleeding:

• Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH, bleeding inside the brain)

• Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH, bleeding around the brain)

There's also a brain haemorrhage, this can mean bleeding due to a head injury.

These types of strokes can impact your physical, cognitive and visual skills that are all needed for driving. Even a mini-stroke (sometimes called a TIA), can affect your vision and cognition, so it's definitely a good idea to wait a while before driving.

Even if you feel well enough to drive, you should speak to your doctor before you start driving again.

What are the DVLA's rules for driving after a stroke?

The DVLA states that you should stop driving for at least 1 month after a stroke or TIA. You can only start again if your doctor or healthcare professional tells you it's safe to drive.

You don't need to tell the DVLA if you've had a stroke and recovered. But you need to tell the DVLA if you have any of the following after 1 month:

• Weakness in your arms or legs

• Problems with your eyesight, for example, restricted or double vision

• Problems balancing, with your memory or understanding

You also need to tell the DVLA if:

• You've had any type of seizure

• You've had or need brain surgery as part of the stroke treatment

• Your doctor thinks it might not be safe to drive

It's your responsibility to tell the DVLA about your medical condition, not your doctor's. You can report your condition online to the DVLA.

You could be fined up to £1,000 if you don't tell the DVLA about a medical condition that could affect your driving. The rules are the same for all types of stroke.

If you drive a bus or lorry, then you'll need to wait for a year until you get your driving licence back after a stroke or TIA. If you've had multiple strokes or TIAs, you'll have to have some tests before you get your licence back. You can find out more on strokes and driving on the DVLA website.

Do you need a driving assessment after a stroke?

You might need a driving assessment after your stroke if it's caused some longer lasting physical issues.

A driving assessment is designed to review your driving in a safe environment. It gives you an honest opinion of your skills and abilities. You can get a referral from your doctor for this, or organise this yourself.

An organisation called Driving Mobility runs these assessments. The organisation says that you should allow 3 hours for the assessment. But the actual driving time is about 50 minutes. Usually your assessor will ask:

• About your medical and driving history, and what you hope the outcome will be for the assessment.

• A physical assessment to check your limbs and joints. Some centres use a mock car to measure physical ability and strength, along with reaction speed.

• Some tasks out of the car, for example memory or attention tests.

• Specific visual tests related to driving.

• A 50 minute drive

At the end of the assessment you'll have a debrief, you can ask any questions at this point. The assessor will write a report which they'll send to your home address.

How does a stroke or TIA affect car insurance?

You need to tell your car insurance provider if you've had a stroke or TIA, even if you don't need to let the DVLA know. This is because the stroke increases your risk level, and your policy could be invalidated.

You might not want to let your insurer know about a stroke or TIA because it might increase your insurance price, but it doesn't automatically increase your costs. Lots of factors affect the cost of car insurance, including where you live, your driving history and the type of car you drive.

If you have your car adapted to help you drive, your car insurance costs might go up. That's because if your vehicle was written off or stolen, it would probably cost more to replace than a car that doesn't have the adaptions.

If your driving habits have changed, your current car insurance policy might not do the trick anymore. Shopping around and comparing different policies can help you find the best policy for you and your needs.