I for one did not realise the scale of this problem.
A record number of lorry and bus drivers have lost their licences in the last year for health, sight and alcohol and drug reasons, the DVLA has revealed.
4,706 drivers were banned, up around 40 per cent on last year.
Drivers of larger vehicles, who have a Group 2 licence, and are aged over 45 have to pass a DVLA medical examination, which these drivers all failed. Group 2 licences are renewable thereafter every five years to age 65 years unless restricted to a shorter period for medical reasons. The medical standards for Group 2 are much higher than those for regular licences, because of the size and weight of the vehicle.
707 drivers suffered from sight problems, 10 had double vision and 31 could only see out of one eye.
261 were abusers of alcohol and 159 had drug problems.
More than 600 were angina sufferers, 173 had angina, and 227 had had a heart attack.
Slackbladder:
I for one did not realise the scale of this problem.
A record number of lorry and bus drivers have lost their licences in the last year for health, sight and alcohol and drug reasons, the DVLA has revealed.
4,706 drivers were banned, up around 40 per cent on last year.
Drivers of larger vehicles, who have a Group 2 licence, and are aged over 45 have to pass a DVLA medical examination, which these drivers all failed. Group 2 licences are renewable thereafter every five years to age 65 years unless restricted to a shorter period for medical reasons. The medical standards for Group 2 are much higher than those for regular licences, because of the size and weight of the vehicle.
707 drivers suffered from sight problems, 10 had double vision and 31 could only see out of one eye.
261 were abusers of alcohol and 159 had drug problems.
More than 600 were angina sufferers, 173 had angina, and 227 had had a heart attack.
I am surprised drug use isn’t higher, a lot of drivers will have the odd spliff (not saying I agree with it). Surely those that do wouldn’t be daft enough to have any before driving and surely wouldn’t tell the doc on their medical.
Drug issues do not just mean illegal drugs.
My medical was queried owing to me taking a low dose anti depressant.
A higher dose could have resulted in my losing my licence.
Similarly drinking.
A colleague at my last place told the truth when asked about his alcohol intake.
Saturday he gets a tankfull and also on a Sunday lunchtime if he wasn’t working until Monday night. He didn’t touch a drop during the week.
Doctor decided he was a binge drinker and he had to go before a special panel to keep his licence.
i think that if the lgv medical were conducted properly there would be a hell of a lot more lose their licenses . i had been under par for several years but kept "soldiering on " . it got to the stage where climbing into the cab was hard work . then i started with chest pains and the wife nagged me into going to the doctor . he stopped me driving instantly , severe angina . two operations and multiple stents later the surgeon asked did i want to do the tests with a view to regaining my license . not likely it’s gone back to swansea , not required . all this and i had passed the medical 9 months previously . one thing i learnt though , there is a life after driving . cheers , dave
Im in the list who did not pass my meds, high blood pressure…trouble with my legs, all being worked on at the moment and hoping to get back on class one’s, most users have probably seen my pitifull advert in the drivers jobs section on here, but and the big but is if and when i do pass my meds i can only drive upto sept 2014 before being crippled again with the cpc… is there life after truck driving ■■ ive never being so bored so any part time work would be great on 7.5 tonne or van… but i aint no spring chicken so multi drop is out the question, so wots your answer rigsby ? cheers all , shytalk.
i have to admit i was 62 when i came off the road , so only had to manage for a year after the treatment until retirement . things were a bit hard for a while , but we cut back on our lifestyle and survived . we have had 8 wonderful years enjoying life , long holidays , no silly o’clock starts , but the wife says i’m a fat bar steward now . if i hadn’t been taken ill i would have been one of those daft buggers that would have worked until i dropped . try to find a lighter job and retire with your health intact and enjoy it, cheers , dave
Im glad you are enjoying your retirement dave, our cloth has being cut back since i stopped work, it would be nice to sit back and enjoy retirement… in not quite your age but i still feel i want to do some driving…it does make things a bit easier just to not think about the bloody bills , it makes you feel a bit useless when you have worked all your life and its taken away at the stroke of a pen…ie ill health, i hope to get back doing a bit soon.
Jack-knife:
I work with a driver with one eye he’s no problem
Hiya i also know of a chap with one eye and drives trucks, theirs something to do with how long ago
did he loose his eye
John
You are correct, there are grandfather rights on the medical standards but all depend on when you took your first medical.
I found a get out of jail clause for the eye sight standard, and passed on that standard, if I was a new applicant I would of failed,
Problem is, it’s upto the driver to find these things, no one will help you.
The doctor (not my own) was convinced I would lose my hgv licence, but had already spoken to the DVLA, and I reached the standard they required.
I bet a few of those drivers would of passed if the older rules were able to be used!
leslie g heath:
Another licence loser is high blood pressure, mine is usually fine, but last time i had a company medicle it was high and borderline.
Blood pressure isn’t a problem as it is an easy fix. I have been measured with 240 as the upper reading, after taking Felodipine for 2 years it is now 120 over 80 which is what an 18 year old would be. However other drugs I take would prohibit me from being a driver again, at least for a while.
I am due a new driving licence but will never pass a medical so for the first time in 34 years I will only have a car licence again.
Hopefully I can still renew my entitlement if the medics come up with a miracle cure for these old bones.
I have had high blood pressure, since the first time it was ever measured when I was in my early 20`s. I have refused drugs to treat it, as I suffered with the side effects when I tried one lot.
I am a person who has high blood pressure…I suppose I shall fail the medical in 2014
I got so fed up with being nagged by doctors, that I have not registered with one, since moving up to Lincs 17 months ago
att, I too had side effects from High blood pressure medication, but some of the newer drugs are good without any side effects and control the problem well enough for HGV purposes.
well worth giving them another try rather than giving up, high BP does kill, its not just about keeping your licence.
Slightly o/t, but I was loading Moy Park Anwick t’other day and noticed a sign for LGV medicals advertised from £45.00. This place is in Ancaster so I realise it might not be practical for some, but sounds good for Grantham/Sleaford/Lincoln maybe.
Rather a strange thing happened today. I lost my licence, not through any medical reason, just someone tidying up and misplacing it, so I bit the bullet and counted twenty of your English pounds out and sent it off online. This was on Wednesday evening around 10pm.
This morning a shiny new licence dropped through the letterbox less than 2 days later.
BUT;
My medical certificate for HGV C+E expired in 2010 as shown on my old licence. The new one shows me having all my classes, including A which all expire on my 70th birthday in 2028
Obviously to drive a lorry I will need to take a medical, but who would know? If I wanted to be a professional I would need DQC and a new Digi card
The expiry date for the photograph remains at 2020 when they will want another showing even more wrinkles
I have been reading this post with interest as on monday i have to go to hospital for a angiogram,
I have been having pain in my legs after about 30 mins of brisk walking, which goes away when i rest.
The wife got me to go to the doctors and had some tests, and he advised me to have the angiogram.
I have also been on the net and found a couple of articles about PCV and HGV drivers suffering from PVD which sounds more like what i have ,also a study in America about HGV drivers with auto boxs and PVD i wil try to find this link as well as the one below. medicinenet.com/peripheral_v … rticle.htm
So what happens if my licence is suspended, do i get the paid off or go off sick?? ,does anyone know what happens, and what do if it happens to me,this will be new to me, as i have never claimed any help or benefits all my working life, but the bills will still be to pay.
So any advice or help would be appreciated.HELP
Klunk
This is the site i was looking for layover.com/forums/layovers- … 16886.html
So i have had to change my lifestyle a lot ,loose 4 stone ,more exercise,on antistatins and betablockers, Klunk
though that I read the linked forum properly but so no metion of auto boxes, did I miss something ?
To be honest the pushing down of a clutch pedal a couple of hundred times a day is not going to make much difference to the blood flow. IMO
klunk/■■■■■■■■
This is the site i was looking for layover.com/forums/layovers- … 16886.html
So i have had to change my lifestyle a lot ,loose 4 stone ,more exercise,on antistatins and betablockers, Klunk
Stop Smoking
Lose Weight
Stop Smoking
Exercise More
Stop Smoking
Don’t sit down with your seat set too high. It restricts blood flow
