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Driving with Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the UK: Everything You Need to Know
If you live in the UK, you must tell the DVLA if you have obstructive sleep apnea syndrome or obstructive sleep apnea that affects your ability to drive safely. If you don’t, you can be fined up to £1,000 or, even worse, prosecuted if you cause an accident because of your condition. So be sure to consult with your physician if you’re not sure whether your OSA can affect your driving or not.
You and nobody else is responsible for deciding if you’re fit to drive or not. You might have sleep apnea or suffer from insomnia, or have a newborn that doesn’t stop crying at night. The reason is irrelevant. If you feel tired or sleepy during the day, to the point where it might affect your driving, then you MUST not drive. If you are told not to drive — by your GP, sleep doctor, or other medical professional — then you definitely must not drive.
Should you drive if you have Obstructive sleep apnea?
If you know that you are suffering from any form of Sleep Apnea (obstructive, central or mixed) and if you go on driving, then you are breaking the law and risking your life and the life of others around you.
If you start noticing that you are feeling sleepy during the day, do not hesitate and consult your GP. If possible, bring to them your Epworth score (Epworth Sleepiness Scale or ESS). Your GP will refer you to sleep clinic where further diagnostic will be performed to understand the origin of your daytime sleepiness and whether it is caused by OSA or not.
Even if it is caused by some form of apnea, it might not mean that you are unfit to drive. If your daytime sleepiness is not excessive, than you can continue to drive and the DVLA does not need to be notified.
Do you have to inform the DVLA?
If you are diagnosed with moderate or severe sleep apnea, you really must not drive and inform the DVLA. You must not drive until your sleep doctor confirms that the prescribed therapy is working and minimizing the effects of OSA on your body. In most cases you will be prescribed the most effective sleep apnea treatment option, that is, CPAP therapy (see the new AirSense 11 – UK version CPAP Device).
How to notify the DVLA?
The best way to notify the DVLA about having a medical condition that interferes with your driving is in writing instead of by telephone or e-mail.
What is excessive sleepiness and how it relates to driving?
As defined by the DVLA, the term “excessive sleepiness” should be interpreted as:
- Excessive sleepiness likely to have an adverse effect on driving.
The term “drowsiness” should be interpreted also as excessive sleepiness.
Car and Motorcycle Drivers
1) If you are diagnosed with mild, moderate or severe OSA, without excessive sleepiness:
- You may continue to drive as normal
- You are not required to notify the DVLA.
2) If you are diagnosed with mild OSA with excessive sleepiness:
- You must not drive until your excessive sleepiness is under control.
- If your excessive sleepiness cannot be controlled within 3 months you must notify the DVLA.
3) If you have moderate or severe OSA with excessive sleepiness:
- You must not drive until your sleep clinic has confirmed that:- Your OSA is under control;
– Your sleepiness is no longer excessive;
– You are complying with CPAP treatment. - You must notify the DVLA and send them your medical information proving that your symptoms are under control.
- If your driving license has already been revoked, you can apply for it to be restored.
You must not drive until OSA has been diagnosed and the Sleep Clinic that diagnosed you has confirmed that your excessive sleepiness is being satisfactorily put under control by your prescribed treatment.
If you have mild OSA, you only need to notify the DVLA if your excessive sleepiness cannot be controlled within 3 months after beginning of treatment.
Bus and lorry (and taxi) drivers
If you have been diagnosed with mild, moderate or severe OSA but you don’t experience excessive sleepiness:
- You may continue to drive. You do not need to notify the DVLA.
If you have been diagnosed with mild OSA and are experiencing excessive sleepiness:
- You must not drive. At least not until your excessive sleepiness symptom has been successfully controlled.
If, within the span of three months, your excessive sleepiness symptom cannot be controlled you must notify the DVLA.
If you have been diagnosed with moderate or severe OSA and are experiencing excessive sleepiness:
- You must not drive until your sleep clinic has confirmed to you that your OSA is under control, your sleepiness is no longer excessive, and you are complying with CPAP theraoy;
- You must notify the DVLA. The DVLA will ask for medical confirmation that will prove that your symptoms are controlled. If your driving license has already been revoked, you can apply for a renewal.
If you are experiencing excessive sleepiness and OSA is suspected:
- You must not drive until your condition has been diagnosed and the Sleep Clinic that diagnosed you has confirmed that your excessive sleepiness is being satisfactorily controlled by prescribed treatment.
If you have been diagnosed with mild OSA, you only need to notify the DVLA if your excessive sleepiness cannot be controlled within three months.
If you are noticing that you are experiencing excessive sleepiness on a daily basis, do not drive!
- Seek an appointment with your GP;
- Ask your doctor to refer you to a Sleep Clinic;
- Download and complete the Epworth Sleepiness Scale Score Form to understand how severe your sleepiness is;
- Bring the results to the Sleep Clinic and get diagnoses for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
If you are diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, the Sleep Clinic that diagnoses you needs to provide a clear and precise answer if you need to inform in written form the DVLA or not.
The Resmed Airsense 11 CPAP Machines in now available in the UK.