DVLA officials have taken over 640,000 driving licences off motorists’ hands over the past decade with more drivers at risk of falling foul of the rules.
Officials had revoked millions of driving photocards due to concerns about medical conditions with older road users under threat.
According to a Freedom of Information request, DVLA data analysed by LeaseLoco found that 646,972 motorists have had their licences taken away since 2014.
In total, more than 500,000 motorcycle and car owners have lost their licence while over 85,000 lorry and bus drivers have also been affected.
However, thousands of motorists are at risk of being caught out every year with almost 900,000 decisions made by the DVLA in 2023.
As of June, statistics showed that more than 23,000 drivers had lost their right to drive in 2024.
John Wilmot, CEO of LeaseLoco, said: “Since the start of 2014, more than 650,000 drivers have had licences revoked due to medical reasons.
“But this could be just the tip of the iceberg. How many people are driving with medical conditions they haven’t reported?”
The DVLA clearly states that road users must report any medical conditions to officials as soon as possible.
After drivers have opened up about a condition, experts will analyse the evidence and decide a course of action.
GOV.UK said: “Your application may take longer than usual if it needs to be referred to a doctor (unless you’re applying for a bus or lorry licence).
“You can usually keep driving while DVLA are considering your application.”
Reporting a condition doesn’t always mean a photocard will be removed with other less aggressive measures also a possibility.
