Surprising health conditions you must declare to DVLA from diabetes to déjà vu

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There are many health conditions you need to declare (Image: Getty Images)
There are many health conditions you need to declare (Image: Getty Images)

Drivers have been told about a range of surprising health conditions that, if they present as severe, should be reported to the driving authority in 2024. According to the temporary car insurance experts at Insure Daily, there are five medical conditions that the DVLA needs to be aware of.

The majority of drivers understand the need to report conditions like poor eyesight or some physical disabilities to the driving authority. But in addition, a wide range of other health conditions that can impede a driver's capabilities, tend to be overlooked.

If you don't disclose these health conditions to the DVLA, you can be fined up to £1000, as they could affect your driving. In the event of a resulting accident, you could even be prosecuted, Wales Online reports.

Paul Daly, Director of , said: “We all have a collective responsibility to make our roads safer, and acknowledging the influence of health conditions on driving abilities is a significant part of that.

“Conditions like sleep apnoea, diabetes, and labyrinthitis might initially seem unrelated to driving, but their effects can significantly compromise an individual's ability to control a vehicle safely. Symptoms such as sleepiness, blurred vision, delayed reaction times, dizziness, or mental distress are all potential hazards on the road.

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"Therefore, it is essential for individuals diagnosed with such conditions to report to the relevant authorities.” Here are five health conditions that should be reported to the DVLA:

Sleep apnoea

Sleep apnoea can substantially impact someone's ability to drive safely. This sleep disorder is characterised by breathing pauses that interfere with sleep patterns, causing excessive daytime sleepiness.

The drowsiness can impact concentration, alertness and reaction times while driving, meaning more accidents are likely.

Type 2 diabetes

Diabetes causes a range of symptoms, such as blurred vision, fatigue and slower reaction times which can impact driving capabilities. Managing diabetes also requires medication, which could lead to hypoglycaemia – low blood sugar levels that can result in dizziness, confusion, and even loss of consciousness.

With individual, and public safety in mind, it's important to let authorities know about a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

Eating disorders

The reason that eating disorders are included as health conditions which should be reported to the UK driving authority is that they can potentially impact driving capabilities. Disorders such as anorexia and bulimia tend to lead to nutritional deficiencies, that cause physical and psychological symptoms, such as dizziness, extreme fatigue, blurred vision and poor concentration.

All of these symptoms can significantly hinder someone's ability to work a vehicle safely.

Déjà vu

Déjà vu is the experience of already having been in the situation that you're in. It's a common sensation, tends to be harmless and is something most people will experience at some point.

Nevertheless, frequent and intense episodes might be linked with neurological problems that could impact safe driving, and might signify a condition such as epilepsy. Someone experiencing frequent déjà vu experiences, should let their driving authority know, so they can test the individual's fitness to drive, ensuring public safety on the roads.

You must tell the DVLA if you have seizures or epilepsy that cause déjà vu.

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Labyrinthitis

Labyrinthitis is an inner ear disorder that can cause a range of symptoms including dizziness, loss of balance, and vertigo, making the control and operation of a vehicle potentially unsafe. Additionally, severe episodes can lead to nausea, vomiting, and hearing loss, further compromising driving ability.

Persistent labyrinthitis may impair individuals' spatial orientation, a critical aspect of safe driving. Therefore, you must tell the DVLA if you have labyrinthitis symptoms for three months or more.

Neil Shaw

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