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Proving Someone Is Safe Enough To Drive?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I have a friend who is partially sighted in one eye and has all his sight in the other. According to his mum & DVLA, he has to prove he's safe enough to drive before he can have any lessons. But how would he do this? He can read the number plate at the required distace. Like me, he has something wrong with his eyes which can make him tire easier than other people.
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Is this any help? http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/MedicalRulesForDrivers/DG_10031253
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/MedicalRulesForDrivers/DG_4022417
if you go here: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/MedicalRulesForDrivers/index.htm it signposts you all round their site. best of luck
Well from the way I read it it only effects one eye so he should be ok...
It does, but you can get used to it over time so that it's not a major disability. Driving a couple of weeks after you loose an eye is probably a no-no, but if you've not had sight since birth or since you were small your brain has probably hardwired itself to compensate.
I'd be more worried about loss of peripheral vision.
I don't understand what you mean by the DVLA have said he has to prove he is safe enough to drive before he takes lessons. Has he been issued with a provisional licence? Did he pass the medical for that? Is so he is considered safe to drive. If not then his provisional will have been revoked/not issued surely? When the DVLA made this statement they must have given him some advice on what he has to do to demonstrate he is fit to drive. If not then he needs to contact them again and ask.
I still think that if he was issued with a provisional with DVLA knowing his sight issues then he is fine but if they didn't know/things have changed then he needs guidance from them to ensure his licence is still valid. Obviously if he hasn't even got his provisional then this is all hypothetical and DVLA will assess his condition before deciding whether or not to issue a licence. They may assess him by asking for information from his eye specialist or by asking him to attend a medical with a doctor appointed by them. Form V1 is the one he needs to complete for DVLA to be aware of his condition and decide on what happens next. This link explains how to inform DVLA about a medical condition.
He may find chapter 6 of this publication of some use but ultimately he needs to communicate directly with DVLA.
He hasn't been issued with a provisional licence yet.
Surely there's a difference between being considered safe to drive and being able to drive safely?
You'll be considered safe to drive if you get a provisional, but driving safely takes experience and you get the full licence by showing you have that experience.
Yes, there is a difference between them as Flashman's Ghost described. No-one can drive safely without experience but if they can't see then they are not safe to drive and will therefore never be able to learn to drive safely. Not sure why you asked that question when quoting me though?