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Convicted Driver Insurance

Dave W.

Well Known Member
Hello. I'm a HRO (having blown 125). Between the offence and the court appearance I contracted a solicitor who told me that because the reading was so high, there was a risk of a custodial sentence. At the age of 65, this scared me witless. Desperate to change and desperate to show the court that I could change and avoid prison, I decided to go into rehab. I could only afford a fortnight (and it wasn't that expensive compared to some). I managed 12 days there, but in the end, and despite some very positive and useful stuff, the fact that everyone else there was under thirty just got to be too much and I checked out. With a fortnight left to the court appearance, I started getting very, very stressed and went to my doctor who prescribed some sort of anti depressant (sorry, can't remember what it was precisely). My sentence was a ban (reduced if I did the Drink Awareness course, which I have) and community service (which I've also completed), a two-year supervision order which resulted in loads of AA meetings which didn't help at all and no prison. Never has the air outside that magistrates court tasted so sweet. A week afterwards because their effect was so unpleasant and with the stress levels massively diminished I stopped taking the pills. I still drink, but not to the extent that I did then - I.e.. I don't binge and don't believe I'm an alcoholic. Two years on, my question is: as the time to reapply for my license approaches, and looking at the medical questionnaire, am I duty bound to mention the rehab period and AA attendance in the 'treatment for dependency' bit and the stress/pills in the 'mental health' bit? Any thoughts gratefully received, as this isn't something easily shared as I know you know.
 
Was the rehab a private organisation or organised throught your GP? If it was private then the second important question would be, did you tell your doctor you were in rehab or attending AA? If you did it will be on your records.

Whether you declare or not doesn't really matter, the DVLA now contact the GP in the majority of HRO cases on this forum. It's in your best personal interest to declare what your doctor is going to be telling them.
 
Was the rehab a private organisation or organised throught your GP? If it was private then the second important question would be, did you tell your doctor you were in rehab or attending AA? If you did it will be on your records.

Whether you declare or not doesn't really matter, the DVLA now contact the GP in the majority of HRO cases on this forum. It's in your best personal interest to declare what your doctor is going to be telling them.
Thanks. The rehab was private and my GP wasn't involved. Nor did I inform him about it or attending AA meetings.
 
Thanks. The rehab was private and my GP wasn't involved. Nor did I inform him about it or attending AA meetings.

Have you ever spoke to your GP about your alcohol intake?

If there is nothing on your medical history with your GP about alcohol the all you have to declare is depression which should not really effect you. Attendance at a private rehab and AA are completely up to you to disclose or not, if your doctor has not been informed then no "paper trail" exists.
 
Have you ever spoke to your GP about your alcohol intake?

If there is nothing on your medical history with your GP about alcohol the all you have to declare is depression which should not really effect you. Attendance at a private rehab and AA are completely up to you to disclose or not, if your doctor has not been informed then no "paper trail" exists.
Re. alcohol intake: I honestly can't remember if I've discussed this with my GP in the past or not and, having had the same thought, I'm considering getting hold of my medical records to check.
 
Re. alcohol intake: I honestly can't remember if I've discussed this with my GP in the past or not and, having had the same thought, I'm considering getting hold of my medical records to check.
I am preparing for my medical also. I dont believe I have ever mentioned anything to my GP of great significance. I vaguely remember the doc asking me in an unrelated appointment what my alcohol intake was like and her saying it was a bit high. I dont drink at all now (and feel so much better for it) I have just requested my medical records in writing because they only go back to April 2020 online. Good luck.
 
I am preparing for my medical also. I dont believe I have ever mentioned anything to my GP of great significance. I vaguely remember the doc asking me in an unrelated appointment what my alcohol intake was like and her saying it was a bit high. I dont drink at all now (and feel so much better for it) I have just requested my medical records in writing because they only go back to April 2020 online. Good luck.
Thanks and the same to you. (Also thanks for the info about medical records).
 
Ah right. Thanks again.

Requesting your full medical history will be a good way of going about this without having to straight ask your doctor, have we ever talked about alcohol before? That question in itself is a red flag.

I have to stress thought, make sure you're drinking sensibly before you make an application to drive again. I understand you went to rehab to try and get a favourable sentence from the court but when I was in rehab the people who showed up to do just that had issues with alcohol too, they just didn't actually want to address them. I'm not saying that's the case for you, but make sure your drinking is in line before you start the HRO process.
 
Requesting your full medical history will be a good way of going about this without having to straight ask your doctor, have we ever talked about alcohol before? That question in itself is a red flag.

I have to stress thought, make sure you're drinking sensibly before you make an application to drive again. I understand you went to rehab to try and get a favourable sentence from the court but when I was in rehab the people who showed up to do just that had issues with alcohol too, they just didn't actually want to address them. I'm not saying that's the case for you, but make sure your drinking is in line before you start the HRO process.
 
Yes, good points and well made. I've done a fair amount of research and completely understand the importance of controlling my alcoholic consumption and am in the middle of a dry six months leading up to my medical. Unlike you, I haven't foresworn drink and I don't want to.

On reflection, I've decided to be dead straight at the medical and declare that I had a drink problem, attended rehab, started and continue to attend AA meetings, as well well as having had drink-related counselling at what used to be called the Probation Service and let them make their decision.

I believe I'm now safe to drive and. If they don't agree, so be it. I'll try again next year.
 
Yes, good points and well made. I've done a fair amount of research and completely understand the importance of controlling my alcoholic consumption and am in the middle of a dry six months leading up to my medical. Unlike you, I haven't foresworn drink and I don't want to.

On reflection, I've decided to be dead straight at the medical and declare that I had a drink problem, attended rehab, started and continue to attend AA meetings, as well well as having had drink-related counselling at what used to be called the Probation Service and let them make their decision.

I believe I'm now safe to drive and. If they don't agree, so be it. I'll try again next year.

Attending rehab automatically places you in the DVLA's dependence bracket, the DVLA will want proof of 12 months of abstainance via blood test results. These would be LFT's from your GP showing your blood results within the normal parameters and annual medical tests in order to hold a licence. This is pretty much abstainance for life. If you ever admit to taking a drink after that point, you will be revoked for 12 months until you can satisfy the DVLA that you are no longer drinking.

If the DVLA decide you are dependent via your own admission, doctors records or your blood results there is no way out of that. It's life off the drink.
 
Thanks. Obviously it's a complex issue. For instance, 'is' dependent/has a drink problem or 'was' dependent/had a drink problem. I assume the DVLA, like other organisations, has joined the modern world and appreciates that there is a difference, but I may be being naive.


Whatever.

I'll go through the process, admit to the issues and if it comes down to a choice between enjoying a drink or driving a car, well, I'll have to make a call.
 
Thanks. Obviously it's a complex issue. For instance, 'is' dependent/has a drink problem or 'was' dependent/had a drink problem. I assume the DVLA, like other organisations, has joined the modern world and appreciates that there is a difference, but I may be being naive.


Whatever.

I'll go through the process, admit to the issues and if it comes down to a choice between enjoying a drink or driving a car, well, I'll have to make a call.

No, the DVLA are black and white about the issue, their idea of dependent has been people who drink more than the weekly reccomended units. Please read through this forum and look at some of the things the DVLA have deemed people dependent over. One was a 6 year GP visit over a fall while drunk, another young lad (a student mind you) at 22 told his doctor he drinks 20 units a week and was put through the proving abstainance process. It's not your interpretation of dependence, it's by the DVLA's strict book. The DVLA don't look it at as "was" they don't treat it as you can be alcohol dependent and then not be, you either are or you aren't for life.

I think @topchippyles and @C J 1980 might also be able to shed light on this for you they have been very helpful on other posts about this matter.
 
No, the DVLA are black and white about the issue, their idea of dependent has been people who drink more than the weekly reccomended units. Please read through this forum and look at some of the things the DVLA have deemed people dependent over. One was a 6 year GP visit over a fall while drunk, another young lad (a student mind you) at 22 told his doctor he drinks 20 units a week and was put through the proving abstainance process. It's not your interpretation of dependence, it's by the DVLA's strict book. The DVLA don't look it at as "was" they don't treat it as you can be alcohol dependent and then not be, you either are or you aren't for life.

I think @topchippyles and @C J 1980 might also be able to shed light on this for you they have been very helpful on other posts about this matter.
Thank you. I'll check out those links.
 
Firstly, thanks to all for the no-nonsense advice.

So at the medical, as I'm fed up with being on the wrong sid
I told them at my medical I did a alcohol detox about 4years ago they wrote to my gp and I have now been issued with a 1 year license
Thanks for that. More food for thought.
 
No, the DVLA are black and white about the issue, their idea of dependent has been people who drink more than the weekly reccomended units. Please read through this forum and look at some of the things the DVLA have deemed people dependent over. One was a 6 year GP visit over a fall while drunk, another young lad (a student mind you) at 22 told his doctor he drinks 20 units a week and was put through the proving abstainance process. It's not your interpretation of dependence, it's by the DVLA's strict book. The DVLA don't look it at as "was" they don't treat it as you can be alcohol dependent and then not be, you either are or you aren't for life.

I think @topchippyles and @C J 1980 might also be able to shed light on this for you they have been very helpful on other posts about this matter.
Do you mean that that 22 year old, no matter what he does, will now be considered by the DVLA to be alcohol dependent for the rest of his life? Until, say, he's an eighthy year old great grandfather?
 
Do you mean that that 22 year old, no matter what he does, will now be considered by the DVLA to be alcohol dependent for the rest of his life? Until, say, he's an eighthy year old great grandfather?
Theoretically, Yes! In practice however, it will generally only be subject to scrutiny by the means of annual DVLA medical for up to 6 years.
 
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