For many individuals, driving comes with a way of freedom and independence. If you happen to reside with a incapacity, you possibly can nonetheless reap the advantages of driving. That will help you perceive the principles and rules round disabled driving, right here’s every thing it is advisable find out about driving with a incapacity.
What’s a Blue Badge?
A Blue Badge permits disabled drivers sure parking concessions and advantages, together with the flexibility within the UK to park nearer to their vacation spot. There are specific guidelines for Blue Badge holders that make sure the scheme is used appropriately. Any Blue Badge misuse can lead to a hefty high-quality, as much as £1,000.
You may study extra in our information to Blue Badge parking rules.
Can a disabled particular person drive a automotive?
Having a incapacity doesn’t imply that you would be able to’t study to drive. There are numerous modifications that may be made to a car that may allow drivers with sure disabilities to drive a automotive, reminiscent of hand controls for braking and accelerating, particular seating, clutch conversions and extra.
The modifications you want will rely in your particular person circumstances, however you’ll need to tell the DVLA of your situation earlier than you begin studying.
Picture supply: Adobe Stock
How you can get a driving licence for a disabled particular person
If you happen to’re a brand new driver with a incapacity you’ll need to tell the DVLA if you apply in your provisional licence. You will need to declare all disabilities when doing so, in any other case you possibly can be hit with a ban or face a £1,000 high-quality.
As soon as the DVLA are conscious, they are going to then determine whether or not you meet the medical requirements to drive safely, and can offer you tailor-made info on any modifications it is advisable make to your car.
In case you are nonetheless not sure, you possibly can seek for your nearest ‘driving mobility’ evaluation centre, the place you possibly can undergo the appliance levels with educated professionals who will inform you on whether or not you go the medical requirements for driving.
Upon getting a provisional licence, it’s possible you’ll want to discover an teacher in your space who has a learner automotive modified for disabled drivers. However beware these diversifications are often fundamental, and should not meet your wants.
Regardless of the severity of your incapacity, the sensible driving check will stay the identical. You’ll need to tell the check centre beforehand in the event you imagine you’ll want any particular provisions, reminiscent of additional time for the examiner to ask if there are any modifications wanted in your check car.
If you happen to’re already a certified driver, however have developed a incapacity or medical situation, it is advisable inform the DVLA earlier than you step foot into one other automotive. That is to allow them to additionally offer you the data it is advisable make sure you’re not breaking the regulation and are holding your self and others secure on the highway.
Picture supply: Adobe Stock
Does being disabled have an effect on car tax?
Disabled drivers could also be exempt from paying highway tax relying on whether or not they meet sure standards. To be eligible for disabled automotive tax exemption, the car should be registered within the disabled particular person’s identify or the identify of their nominated driver. The car should additionally solely be utilized by the disabled driver, or the nominated driver for the disabled particular person’s private wants solely – it should not be utilized by the nominated driver for private use.
You may apply for disabled automotive tax in the event you already obtain the upper charge mobility part of DLA, the improved charge mobility part of PIP, the Struggle Pensioners’ Mobility Complement or the Armed Forces Independence Cost. If you happen to aren’t eligible for car tax exemption, however you obtain the usual charge mobility part for PIP, you will get a 50% discount in car tax.
For extra info, together with how you can declare for the primary time and how you can renew, learn our article on road tax exemptions for disabled drivers.
Does being disabled have an effect on automotive insurance coverage?
The Incapacity Discrimination Act 2005 ensures that automotive insurance coverage suppliers and insurers can’t legally penalise you for being disabled. You can’t be refused insurance coverage due to your incapacity.
There are insurance coverage suppliers, reminiscent of ourselves, that specialize in disabled car insurance and provide advantages together with like-for-like cowl on accessibility modifications made to your car. Specialised insurance coverage insurance policies also can present cowl for carers to drive your automotive, which is why it’s useful to look into tailor-made automotive insurance coverage for Blue Badge holders.
Picture supply: Adobe Stock
What medical circumstances can cease you driving?
There are a lot of medical circumstances that may cease you driving, both long-term or quickly, relying on severity and signs. The easiest way to examine whether or not a well being or medical situation can have an effect on your driving is through the official government portal.
If you happen to’re making use of for a provisional licence, it is advisable declare all your disabilities and medical circumstances to the DVLA. If you happen to’re a certified driver who has developed a ‘notifiable’ medical situation or incapacity, or you probably have a situation or incapacity that’s worsened because you first obtained your licence, it is advisable inform the DVLA.
Notifiable circumstances consult with something that would have an effect on your capability to drive safely, together with however not restricted to:
- Visible circumstances
- Sleep apnea
- Epilepsy
- Strokes
- Neurological circumstances
- Bodily disabilities
- Surgical procedure
If you don’t inform the DVLA a couple of medical situation or incapacity, you could be fined as much as £1,000. You could possibly even be prosecuted in the event you’re concerned in an accident and haven’t declared your medical situation.
You have to additionally hand over your licence in case your physician tells you to cease driving for 3 or extra months, or you don’t meet the required requirements for driving due to your medical situation.
In addition to declaring your incapacity to the DVLA, you’ll additionally should contact your automotive insurance coverage supplier and declare any notifiable medical circumstances in your automotive insurance coverage.
Be taught extra in our information to what medical conditions have to be declared for car insurance.
How you can get a incapacity automotive
Many individuals who obtain advantages for a mobility-based incapacity are capable of lease a automotive from the motability scheme. The motability scheme not solely leases vehicles for disabled drivers, but additionally mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs.
You may lease a disabled automotive from the motability scheme in the event you’ve been awarded:
- Incapacity Dwelling Allowance (larger charge mobility part)
- Private Independence Cost (enhanced charge mobility part)
- Armed Forces Independence Cost
To use it’s essential to have not less than 12 months of profit funds remaining.
If you happen to require modifications that can assist you drive, these will have to be fitted earlier than the automotive is delivered. That is to make sure it’s secure and authorized to drive below the medical circumstances set by the DVLA when your licence was issued.
To search out out extra, learn our article on the motability scheme and motability insurance rules and restrictions.
Are you able to study to drive with studying difficulties?
If in case you have studying difficulties, you possibly can nonetheless learn to drive so long as you don’t have any additional circumstances that would cease you doing so. Relying in your skills and wishes, you possibly can take the sensible check driving both a handbook or an computerized automotive. Nonetheless, in the event you go your check driving an computerized automotive, you can be restricted to solely driving computerized automobiles.
If in case you have your individual car and you’ve got diversifications fitted to it, these diversifications will decide whether or not the car is classed as a handbook or computerized automotive. For instance, vehicles fitted with centrifugal clutches or free-wheel units are nonetheless classed as handbook automobiles and don’t fall inside the definition of automobiles with computerized transmission.
If in case you have studying difficulties, the driving check examiner will make changes for the unbiased driving a part of the check. They could additionally ask in the event you’d choose to observe visitors indicators as a substitute of instructions from a sat nav.
Whenever you e book the sensible driving check, it’s essential to declare the small print of your bodily incapacity or studying incapacity. This info is then handed to the examiner, who will determine whether or not to permit you additional time for the sensible driving check.
When are you able to drive with a incapacity?
To be able to study to drive, it’s essential to maintain a provisional licence. Often it is advisable be not less than 17 years previous to carry a driving licence, however in the event you obtain the upper charge mobility part of DLA or the improved charge mobility part of PIP, it’s possible you’ll maintain a licence if you’re 16 years previous. You may apply in your licence three months earlier than your birthday.
Disabled driver insurance coverage you possibly can belief
With greater than 50 years’ expertise in offering specialist automotive insurance coverage and providing greater than 200 insurance coverage schemes overlaying disabled drivers, we’ll assist you to discover the appropriate disabled driver insurance coverage to fit your wants.
