Common medical condition could see you slapped with £1k fine behind the wheel

DRIVERS with a common medical condition could be slapped with a £1,000 if they’re caught behind the wheel.

Officials have wanted motorists must disclose certain conditions or face being slapped with a hefty penalty.

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Motorists can be fined up to £1,000 for not telling the DVLA about any medical issues that may affect your driving.

Anyone living with diabetes is required to alert the DVLA and divulge information about medication they take.

Diabetes can lead to further complications including hypoglycaemia, which can result in drowsiness and blurred vision.

You need to tell DVLA if:

• your insulin treatment lasts (or will last) over 3 months
• you had gestational diabetes (diabetes associated with pregnancy) and your insulin treatment lasts over 3 months after the birth
• you get disabling hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) – or a medical professional has told you that you’re at risk of developing it

Failing to declare a medical condition to the DVLA could prevent motorists from legally taking to the road, or may even invalidate their car insurance.

Motorists can fill out a form online or a DIAB1 and send it to DVLA.

Penalties for not declaring a range of health problems, such as vertigo or epilepsy, can lead to huge penalties but can result in prosecution.

However, many Brits may be motoring around without knowing the factors that could drive them into hot water.

Greg Wilson, the car insurance comparison site’s founder, said: “A serious medical diagnosis on top of the fear of losing transportation and independence can be devastating.

“However, many conditions and medications won’t impair driving, which the DVLA and insurance providers recognise – but they do need to be keep up to date with any changes.

“Taking all precautions to be safe on the road is extremely important and drivers must play their part to ensure their wellbeing and the wellbeing of other road users is protected to the best of their knowledge.

“The DVLA has an extensive list of over 110 conditions that can affect driving, so some motorists may be unaware of all of these conditions or the extent to which they can affect driving ability.

It is likely you may be told to stop driving if prescribed strong medications, such as opioid painkillers.

Other medications including tranquilisers and certain antidepressants can also affect driving ability, alongside any that cause drowsiness or say ‘do not operate heavy machinery’.