Drivers face a £1,000 fine if they don’t declare these medical conditions

Money to burn - Don't throw it away.

Thousands of drivers could find themselves stuck with a hefty fine if they fail to declare medical conditions to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

Whilst some conditions are more of a given, such as epilepsy and heart conditions, others are rather less obvious.

Eating disorders and Déjà vu also make the list of illnesses that should be declared to avoid being slapped with a £1,000 fine.

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Motoring experts at LeaseCar.uk has published a list which the DVLA say they must be told about.

A spokesperson said: "There are some conditions however, that seem too unrelated to even consider spending the time to fill out a form to tell the DVLA about.

"If you suffer a broken limb or severe head injury that affects your memory or ability to perform everyday tasks, you're also probably not going to be able to operate a vehicle safely either.

"In these cases, it seems obvious that you'd have to let the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency know about it."

Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, also added: "Knowing which conditions you do and don't need to flag to the DVLA can be confusing. Things that might seem minor, such as headaches and déjà vu, can actually affect your ability to drive safely.

"Many drivers don't realise that an undisclosed medical condition can not only result in a hefty fine, but also invalidate your car insurance. If you're in an accident and you need to make a claim, but you've not notified the DVLA of your condition, this could be a real issue."

The medical conditions that could see motorists hit with a £1,000 fine if not declared:

Déjà vu

We often talk about this in passing when we feel like we have seen, heard or said something very similar before as the French terms literally translates in to "already seen".

But surprisingly, it is one of the health conditions that the DVLA say could affect your driving.

However, this applied to medically induced déjà vu which can be associated with certain types of epilepsy.

According to the NHS, a symptom of simple partial (focal) seizures, or 'auras' as they may be known, is "a feeling that events have happened before (déjà vu)."

Sleep Apnoea

Sleep Apnoea is a relatively common condition which sees the walls of the the throat relax and narrow during sleep which interrupts normal breathing.

Man with sleep apnea and CPAP machine

This can lead to interrupted sleep which can have a negative impact on your health and your life increasing the risk of developing certain conditions.

It could also cause you to fall asleep at the wheel and it goes without saying that this is very dangerous.

Eating disorders

Though it may not be immediately obvious that an eating disorder could affect your ability to drive, side effects of such ilnesses could cause you to feel weak or dizzy.

Therefore it is something you must tell the DVLA if it affects your ability to drive safely. This can be spoken about with your doctor if you are unsure.

Labyrinthitis

Labyrinthitis is an inner ear infection that causes the delicate structure deep in your ear - called the labyrinth - to become inflamed.

This can then affect your hearing and balance which can be crucial when it comes to getting behind the wheel.

a woman talking on a cell phone: Labyrinthitis is an inner ear infection

Usually, the infections will clear up in a few weeks and there would be no need to declare this as a medical condition.

However in some cases, symptoms can last longer and impact your ability to carry out regular tasks.

This can include some hearing loss and changes in vision, such as blurred vision or double vision.

Arthritis

A common condition that affects more than 10 million people, arthritis causes pain and inflammation to a joint such as the hands, spine, knees and hips.

If the condition affects your driving and has lasted more than three months then you should contact the DVLA.

Other medical conditions

Heart conditions, diabetes or a brain condition or severe head injury as well as epilepsy, stroke, neurological and mental health conditions and physical disabilities and visual impairments should also be decalred.

You can find a full list of the medical conditions the DVLA need to know about on the Government website here.

Drivers face a £1,000 fine if they don’t declare these medical conditions

Money to burn - Don't throw it away.

Déjà vu

Sleep Apnoea

Sleep Apnoea

Eating disorders

Labyrinthitis

Arthritis

Other medical conditions

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