driving and parkinson's

Everyday life

Find out more about

driving when you

have Parkinson’s

driving and

parkinson’s

Being diagnosed with Parkinson’s doesn’t always

mean that you’ll have to stop driving immediately.

But there are some things you need to do if you’d

like to continue driving and stay safe on the roads.

This booklet explains the steps you need to take.

It includes details about how Parkinson’s medication may

affect your driving. There is also information about choosing

to stop driving, and where you can nd useful information

and support.

The information in this booklet is correct as of May 2023.

Contents

Telling your licensing agency that you

have Parkinson’s 4

How do I tell my licensing agency

that I have Parkinson’s? 5

How does my licensing agency decide

if I’m t to drive? 7

What decisions can my licensing agency make? 9

Free or reduced travel 11

Will Parkinson’s medication affect

my ability to drive? 12

Drugs and driving: the law 13

The Blue Badge scheme 15

Applying for a Blue Badge 15

Using a Blue Badge 15

Other concessions 17

Mobility centres 19

Choosing to stop driving 20

Alternatives to driving 21

Giving up your licence 22

Advice for family and friends 23

More information and support 25

telling your licensing

agency that you have

parkinson's

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)

in England, Scotland and Wales and the Driver

and Vehicle Agency (DVA) in Northern Ireland

make every effort to keep people with health

problems or disabilities on the road, if they're

safe to do so.

In this booklet we refer to the DVLA and the DVA

as the licensing agency.

The contact details for different licensing

agencies can be found in the ‘More information

and support’ section.

In this section:

• How do I tell my licensing agency that I have Parkinson’s?

• How does my licensing agency decide if I’m t to drive?

• Free or reduced travel

How do I tell my licensing agency that

I have Parkinson’s?

When you’re diagnosed with Parkinson’s, you must tell

your licensing agency straight away. If you don’t let your

the licensing agency know about your condition, you’re

committing a criminal offence.

If your GP suspects you’ve got Parkinson’s but you haven’t

been diagnosed, you still have a legal duty to tell your

licensing agency if you’re experiencing symptoms that

may affect your driving.

In England, Scotland and Wales, you can report your

condition online at www.gov.uk/parkinsons-disease-

and-driving.

You can also report your condition by completing the

‘Report your Medical Condition (PK1)’ form if you have

a car or motorcycle licence. If you have a bus, coach and

HGV licence, you’ll need to complete a PK1V form.

These forms are available from the DVLA by calling their

Medical Enquiries team on 0300 790 6806.

In Northern Ireland, you can tell the DVA by phone on

0300 200 7861 or by emailing dva@infrastructure-ni.

gov.uk. They will then send you a medical questionnaire

for your specialist to complete.

You can also inform the DVLA and DVA in writing.

Contact details are available in the ‘More support and

information’ section.

Can my GP tell my licensing agency on my behalf?

Your GP or specialist has no legal duty to tell your

licensing agency about your Parkinson’s. But they may

contact your licensing agency if they’ve told you to stop

driving and they don’t think you have. In this case, the

General Medical Council advises that a doctor must

inform the licensing agency.

Telling your insurance company

It’s very important to let your insurance company know if

you're diagnosed with Parkinson's. If you don't, it may make

your existing policy invalid if you need to make a claim.

How does my licensing agency decide if

I’m t to drive?

Once you've told your licensing agency you have Parkinson's,

they may be able to make their decision from the information

you’ve given them. If they need more details, they will write

to your GP or specialist.

They may ask you to go for a medical examination that will

usually be with your own GP or specialist.

The medical examination will be arranged to take place as

near as possible to your home. It’s free of charge, but you’ll

have to pay your own travel costs to get to the appointment.

If you hold an HGV licence, you’ll be asked to provide details

about your condition and your licensing agency will ask your

GP or specialist to complete a medical report. You may also

be asked to do a driving assessment. If you’re issued with

a licence, it may be reviewed every year.

Waiting for a decision can sometimes be a lengthy process.

You can usually continue to drive as long as your GP or

specialist feels you’re well enough. You shouldn’t drive if

you’re told not to by your licensing agency or by your GP

or specialist.

What happens if I’m asked to attend

a driving assessment?

In a small number of cases, you may be asked to complete

a driving assessment.

This may be at a mobility centre (see the ‘Mobility centres’

section) or at a Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency

test centre.

At the assessment, trained staff will consider how your

condition affects your driving. They also examine your

vision, how quickly you’re able to react to situations and

your ability to operate the controls safely during a drive

with an assessor.

Depending on your needs, an assessor may recommend

adaptations to your vehicle that will help you to keep you

driving safely.

What decisions can my licensing

agency make?

Once the licensing agency has considered your

application it can decide:

• you can have or keep your licence without any restriction

• you can have a shorter licence, valid for one, two or three

years. This decision is reviewed when the licence runs out.

• your licence will only allow you to drive a vehicle with

specic adaptations

• you must stop driving and give up your licence

If you’ve been told that you must adapt your car, you can get

an independent assessment of your needs through a mobility

centre (see the ‘Mobility centres’ section). You must tell your

insurance company about any adaptations you make to

your vehicle.

If your licensing agency decides you must give up your

licence, they will give you a medical reason why. They’ll also

send you details of if and when you can reapply, and return

any fees sent with the application form.

If your licence is refused or taken away for medical reasons

and you then become well enough to drive again, you can

reapply for your licence. Check with your GP, specialist or

Parkinson’s nurse that you can meet the medical standards

for driving before reapplying. If the licensing agency decides

you can drive after their enquiries, you’ll be issued with

a new licence.

Asking your licensing agency to reconsider its decision

If you want your licensing agency to reconsider its decision,

you should contact them explaining why you feel the

decision is wrong.

The licensing agency can look at its decision again, but will

expect you to provide fresh medical evidence. You may need

to ask your GP to refer you to a specialist who can provide

this in a letter, and you may have to pay for it.

Making an appeal

If your licensing agency doesn’t change its decision, courts

have the power to look at your case. They can reverse a

licensing agency's decision, if appropriate.

An appeal must be made within a certain time after your

licence was taken away:

• In England and Wales, within six months to the

magistrates court.

• In Northern Ireland, within three months to Petty Sessions.

• In Scotland, within 21 days to the Sheriff Court.

A licensing agency doctor will attend the hearing as a

witness and the licensing agency will be represented by

a barrister. Normally, the court can only look at existing

evidence and can’t consider any new evidence. If new

medical evidence is available, it’s best to forward this

to the licensing agency for consideration out of court.

If you’re considering going to court, you should think

about getting legal advice. You can get free advice from

the Disability Law Service or Disabled Motoring UK.

(See the 'More information and support' section).

Free or reduced travel

If you live in England, Wales or Scotland and your driving

licence has been refused or taken away for medical reasons,

you may be entitled to a free bus pass, whatever your age.

If you live in England, contact your local council to nd out

who issues disabled bus passes in your area. You can nd

out more at www.gov.uk/apply-for-disabled-bus-pass

In Northern Ireland you can travel for free on buses and trains

if you’re 60 or over. If you’re under 60, you can travel for half

price if you’ve had your driving licence refused or revoked on

medical grounds. To see if you qualify, visit www.translink.

co.uk/usingtranslink/ticketsandtravelcards/concessionuk/

articles/community-transport

In Scotland, if you’re 60 or over, or disabled, you can use

national and local buses for free at any time of day and may

also be entitled to discounted rail travel in some areas. Visit

www.entitlementcard.org.uk or contact your local authority

to nd out more.

In Wales, you’ll need to apply for a Concessionary Travel

Card. Visit www.traveline.cymru/concessionary-travel-pass

to nd out more.

Find out more: see our information on help

with getting around.

Will Parkinson’s

Medication aect

my ability to drive?

Some Parkinson’s drugs can make you very

sleepy. Sometimes this happens suddenly and

without warning. This may be more likely in

people with advanced Parkinson’s who are

taking multiple medications or are increasing

their medication, particularly dopamine agonists.

Although this can be worrying, taking Parkinson’s

drugs shouldn’t automatically mean you’ll have to

stop driving.

But if you experience any sudden or excessive

daytime sleepiness, you shouldn’t drive and tell

your GP, specialist, or Parkinson’s nurse.

In this section:

• Drugs and driving: the law

Drugs and driving: the law

It’s illegal in England, Scotland and Wales to drive if you’re

unt to do so because you’re taking legal drugs. Legal drugs

are prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

While the drugs listed under this law aren’t Parkinson’s-

specic medication, you may be prescribed them to treat

symptoms linked with your condition, such as anxiety, or

for other health problems.

Talk to your GP about driving if you’ve been prescribed

any of the following drugs:

• amphetamine (such as selegiline)

• clonazepam (a drug commonly prescribed for people who

have restless legs syndrome)

• diazepam

• unitrazepam

• lorazepam

• methadone

• morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs

• oxazepam

• temazepam

You can drive after taking these drugs if:

• you’ve been prescribed them and advised how to take

them by a healthcare professional

• they aren’t making you unt to drive, even if you’re above

the specied limits in your blood, if you’ve been

prescribed them

You could be prosecuted if you drive with certain levels

of these drugs in your body and you haven’t been

prescribed them.

The law doesn’t cover Northern Ireland, but you could still be

arrested if you’re unt to drive. Talk to your GP, specialist or

Parkinson’s nurse if you have any concerns.

You may nd it useful to carry a copy of your prescription

with you when you’re driving, just in case you’re stopped

for any reason or are involved in a trafc incident.

Find out more: see our information on drug treatments

for Parkinson's.

THE BLUE BADGE SCHEME

The Blue badge scheme helps you park closer to places,

services or facilities you may want to visit or use. You may

nd the scheme helpful if you have problems walking.

The Blue Badge is linked to a person, not a vehicle, so you

can use it with any car that you’re driving or travelling in as

a passenger. This includes taxis and hire cars.

• Applying for a Blue Badge

• Using a Blue Badge

• Other concessions

Applying for a Blue Badge

You can check to see if you're eligible for a Blue Badge and

apply for, or renew your application online at www.gov.uk/

apply-blue-badge (except Aberdeen City Council where

you should apply via the council's website), or www.nidirect.

gov.uk/articles/blue-badge-eligibility-criteria in Northern

Ireland. Contact your local council for more information or if

you need help with an application.

If your local authority or council refuses to issue you with

a Blue Badge, you have no formal right of appeal. But as many

authorities and councils have internal procedures for dealing

with reviews, it's worth writing to ask for a review. You should

do this within one month of the date on the decision letter.

In Scotland, there is a formal review process and you can ask

for a review of the decision within 28 days of receiving it.

Find out more: see our information on help

with getting around.

Using a Blue Badge

With a Blue Badge, you can park:

• for free – at on-street parking meters and in Pay and Display

bays (unless signs show a time limit for badge holders)

• without time limit – in streets where you would usually

only be able to wait

• for limited periods – on single or double yellow lines for

a maximum of three hours in England, Wales and Northern

Ireland, and in some local authority areas in Scotland,

where there aren’t restrictions on loading or unloading

Rules may vary between local authorities, so you should

contact them to nd out about specic rules in the area.

Whenever you use a Blue Badge, you should make sure

it’s displayed the right way up and is clearly visible through

the windscreen. You should also check the Blue Badge

hasn’t expired.

Other concessions

Vehicle tax

You don’t have to tax your vehicle if you get:

• the higher rate mobility component of the Disability

Living Allowance, or

• the enhanced rate of the Personal Independence

Payment (PIP or Adult Disability Payment in Scotland, or

• a War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement, or

• the Armed Forces Independent Payment

You may also be exempt from payment at certain toll bridges

and tunnels.

You can claim tax exemption when you apply for vehicle tax.

If you’re claiming for a vehicle for the rst time, you will need

to do so at a Post Ofce.

Motability

The Motability Scheme allows disabled people to exchange

a ‘qualifying benet’ to lease a car (including cars adapted

to carry a driver or passenger seated in their wheelchair),

powered wheelchair or mobility scooter.

Qualifying benets include:

• the higher rate mobility component of Disability

Living Allowance

• the enhanced rate of the mobility component of Personal

Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment

in Scotland

• War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement and Armed Forces

Independence Payment

To nd out more about Motability, call 0300 456 4566 or

visit their website www.motability.co.uk

moBILITY CENTRES

Mobility centres provide information and advice

on driving for anyone with a disability who uses

a car, as a driver or a passenger. They can also

assess your ability to drive and t adaptations

to a car, such as steering aids. Information and

advice is free, but centres charge for assessments

and driving tuition.

To nd your nearest mobility centre, please contact:

Driving Mobility (in England)

0800 559 3636

info@drivingmobility.org.uk

www.drivingmobility.org.uk

The Northern Ireland Mobility Centre (NIMC)

028 9029 7877

[email protected]g

www.disabilityaction.org

DriveAbility Scotland

0141 648 8470

info@driveabilityscotland.org.uk

Wales Mobility and Driving Assessment Service

01745 584 858 (North Wales)

02920 555 130 (South Wales)

www.wmdas.co.uk

Choosing to

stop driving

Driving allows you to be independent and

maintain a sense of freedom. But there may

come a time when you no longer feel you’re

able to continue driving safely.

If you’re thinking about giving up driving, or

someone has suggested you do so, consider

the reasons why. For example, do you feel less

condent driving and worry more about making

a journey in the car than you used to? Or are

your Parkinson’s symptoms making it harder

for you to drive safely?

You can talk to your GP, specialist or Parkinson’s

nurse about any concerns you have about

your driving.

You may also want to think about other ways

to help you to continue driving safely, such as

having a driver assessment with a mobility

centre. (See the ‘Mobility centres’ section for

more information.)

In this section:

• Alternatives to driving

• Giving up your licence

• Advice for family and friends

Alternatives to driving

Giving up driving can be a difcult decision, but it doesn’t

mean you’ll lose your ability to get out and about as you

would normally do. Other ways to get around include buses,

taxis, trains or community transport.

If you don’t drive regularly, it may be cheaper to give up your

car. The Older Drivers Forum has a useful calculator that can

help you to work out how much you spend running a car

and how much you might save if you started using public

transport. It can be found at www.olderdrivers.org.uk/

retire-from-driving/Cost-Calculator

Find out more: see our information on help

with getting around.

Giving up your licence

If you do decide to give up your licence, you need to complete

a ‘Declaration of surrender for medical reasons’ form, which

is available to download at www.gov.uk/government/

publications/declaration-of-voluntary-surrender or by

calling the DVLA (see the ‘More information and support’

section). You also need to return your licence with the form to:

Drivers Medical Group

DVLA

Swansea

SA99 1TU

In Northern Ireland, you should post both parts of your driver

licence, along with a covering letter explaining you have

Parkinson’s to:

Drivers Medical Section

DVA

Castlerock Road

Waterside

Coleraine

BT51 3TB

Advice for family and friends

It can be difcult to talk to someone about their driving.

But if you believe they’re a danger to themselves or other

road users, it’s important to raise the issue with them.

Before you do talk to someone, it may be useful to:

• consider how you might feel if someone talked to you

about your own driving. This can help you approach

the conversation more sensitively.

• go out for a drive with the person you’re concerned

about. If they make mistakes, are they isolated incidents

or repeated often throughout the journey?

• discuss your concerns with other people – do they agree

with your own worries?

• look at options that may help someone to continue

driving safely, such as a driver assessment, or other ways

of getting around in their local area.

Try to pick a time with the person when they will be happy

to talk and in a place where they feel comfortable. If the

conversation becomes difcult or upsetting, come back

it another time.

During the conversation:

• Explain why you’re concerned about their driving.

Encourage the person to think about whether their driving

could be a risk to themselves or others.

• Share any information you’ve found about ways they can

get around without a car, or how they may be able to carry

on driving safely.

• Suggest that they discuss the issue with their GP, specialist

or Parkinson’s nurse.

Some people may be relieved you’ve talked to them about

their driving as it might have been something they’ve worried

about themselves. But ultimately, it’s up to the individual

whether they continue to drive, even if you’ve shared

your concerns.

If they continue driving, but you feel they’re a danger on the

road, you can report them to the DVLA in England, Scotland

and Wales, or DVA in Northern Ireland. They can investigate

someone who has a medical condition that may stop them

from driving safely. Your concerns will be treated in the

strictest condence.

A person’s GP or specialist can also talk to a licensing agency

without consent if they feel their patient is unt to drive but

continues to do so.

Licensing agencies

Your licensing agency can

provide information on all

aspects of driving.

For DVLA enquiries about

a medical condition in

England, Scotland and

Wales, contact:

Drivers Medical Group

0300 790 6806

www.gov.uk/contact-

the-dvla

For DVA enquiries regarding

a medical condition in

Northern Ireland, contact:

Drivers Medical Group

0300 200 7861

dva@infrastructure-ni-

.gov.uk

Licensing laws in Jersey and

Guernsey are almost the

same as in the rest of the

UK. For more information,

contact:

Driver and Vehicle

Licensing – Guernsey

01481 221 000

dvl@gov.gg

www.gov.gg/drivinglicence

Driver and Vehicle

Standards – Jersey

01534 448 600

dvsinfo@gov.je

www.gov.je/travel/motoring

Other organisations

The Blue Badge Scheme

(Northern Ireland)

0300 200 7818

bluebadges@infrastructure-

ni.gov.uk

moRE INFORMATION

AND SUPPORT

Disability Law Service

offers free legal advice

to people with disabilities

and their carers.

020 7791 9800

[email protected]g.uk

www.dls.org.uk

Living Made Easy

The Disabled Living

Foundation has details on

car and van conversions,

hoists and lifting equipment,

car seats, vehicles for hire,

accessories and much more.

0300 999 0004

info@dlf.org.uk

www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk

Disabled Motoring UK

provides help and advice

to disabled drivers

and passengers.

01508 489 449

info@disabledmotoring.org

www.disabledmotoring.org

Motability

Motability helps disabled

people with their personal

mobility.

0300 456 4566

Textphone 030 0 037 010 0

www.motability.co.uk

Research Institute for

Disabled Consumers (RiDC)

RiDC publishes booklets

on equipment and car

adaptations, and advice

about choosing a vehicle.

020 7427 2460

[email protected]g.uk

www.rida.org.uk

Parkinson’s nurses

Parkinson’s nurses have

specialist experience and

knowledge of Parkinson’s.

They can:

• support people coming

to terms with their

Parkinson’s diagnosis

• help people to manage

their medication, so they

get the best results and

fewer side effects

• make referrals to

other professionals

such as speech and

language therapists

and physiotherapists

Some nurses are based in the

community, such as your GP

surgery. Others are based in

hospital settings and clinics.

Talk to your GP or specialist

for more details on speaking

to a Parkinson’s nurse.

Parkinson’s UK information

and support

You can read our most

up-to-date information

at parkinsons.org.uk

You can order printed

information by calling

0330 124 3250 or

visiting parkinsons.org.uk/

orderingresources

If you’d like to speak to

someone, our specialist

adviser team can provide

information about any aspect

of living with Parkinson’s.

They can talk to you about

managing symptoms and

medication, social care,

employment rights, benets,

how you’re feeling, and

much more.

Call our team on:

0808 800 0303 or email

[email protected]g.uk

We’ll provide expert

information over phone or

email or put you in touch

with an adviser locally.

If you’d like to meet other

people living with Parkinson’s

in your local area, you can

nd friendship and support

through our network of

volunteers and local groups.

Go to parkinsons.org.uk/

localgroups or call our

helpline to nd out more.

Our forum is also a very active

space to share and chat with

others who really understand,

at a time that suits you. Visit

parkinsons.org.uk/forum

Thank you

Thank you very much to

everyone who contributed to

or reviewed this information.

Thanks also to our

information review group

and other people affected

by Parkinson’s who

provided feedback.

Feedback

If you have any comments

or feedback about our

information, please call

0800 138 6593, email

feedback@parkinsons.

org.uk, or write to us at

Parkinson’s UK, 215 Vauxhall

Bridge Road,

London SW1V 1EJ.

If you’d like to nd out

more about how we put

our information together,

please contact us at

healthcontent@parkinsons.

org.uk or visit our website.

Can you help?

At Parkinson’s UK, we

are totally dependent on

donations from individuals

and organisations to fund

the work that we do.

There are many ways that

you can help us to support

people with Parkinson’s.

If you would like to get

involved, please contact

our Supporter Care team

on 0800 138 6593 or visit

our website at parkinsons.

org.uk/donate

Thank you.

These pages have been left intentionally blank.

We are Parkinson’s UK.

Funded by you.

Improving life for everyone

affected by Parkinson’s.

Together we’ll nd a cure.

Free condential helpline 0808 800 0303

Monday to Friday 9am–6pm, Saturday 10am–2pm

(interpreting available)

NGT relay 18001 0808 800 0303

(for textphone users only)

[email protected]g.uk

parkinsons.org.uk

Parkinson’s UK, 215 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1EJ

Last updated: May 2023. Next review due 2026. | Order Code: INFOB0008

Parkinson’s UK is the operating name of the Parkinson’s Disease Society of the

United Kingdom. A charity registered in England and Wales (258197) and in