Older drivers risk being slapped with a hefty £1,000 fine this year for making a simple mistake, according to a leading expert.
Craig Delahaye, Associate Director of Legal Operations at National Accident Helpline, warned elderly drivers must inform the DVLA of any medical conditions by law.
Keeping details of medical conditions quiet and not disclosing them to officials could come back to bite them with hefty charges for those breaking the rules.
Craig said: “It is a Government requirement to notify the DVLA of your medical condition and it’s important that drivers read the list of applicable conditions on the GOV.UK website.
“If drivers neglect to inform the DVLA, they risk facing a fine of £1,000.
“It could also potentially invalidate their insurance as insurers could regard failure to disclose a medical condition as non-disclosure and refuse to pay out on a claim, if an accident occurs.”
Although road users of all ages could be affected, older drivers are much more likely to fall into this category.
Data provided by the DVLA last year revealed elderly motorists made up the bulk of DVLA medical condition casework.
Those between the ages of 70 and 79 were the most affected age group with over 16,000 individuals suffering a single medical condition.
Meanwhile, around an extra 10,000 had at least two or more conditions with their applications being looked into by DVLA chiefs.
Road users between 60 and 69 were the second most affected age group followed by the 50-59 age range.
However, those between 80 and 89 were still a major concern with over 6,000 people having at least one medical condition.
Around an extra 4,000 people in this category had “multiple medical conditions” being looked into.
After being notified of a condition, the DVLA will assess whether it is safe for motorists to keep hold of their licence.
However, Craig stressed not all road users with medical conditions will be taken off the roads immediately.
He commented: “If driving is a necessity for them, then it may be possible to tweak some of these factors.
“This includes visiting the GP to change the medication they’re on or the optician to modify a prescription. However, the GP may also advice that, for their own safety, it’s best to stop driving all together.”
