HGV Medical

Before anyone can begin their work as an HGV driver, they must first complete an HGV medical check. Paperwork linked to this check (a D4 form) will then need to be submitted to the DVLA, this will be completed by the physician who performs the examination. It will be in the hands of the DVLA to ultimately decide if they deem someone fit to drive or not.

Every new driver must undergo an HGV medical exam, existing HGV drivers are required by the DVLA to have a medical test at 45 years old, then every 5 years thereafter until 65, after which it is then required to be done once a year.

During the first part of the process, a doctor and the candidate will need to discuss any existing medical conditions that could affect their ability to drive safely, and medical history is also looked at. Next, the doctor will perform a physical examination to check the candidate’s vital signs, it should take around a half-hour.

This will include an HGV medical eye test to check for impaired eyesight. Neurological conditions will be checked for too, and mental health will be considered, as will any heart conditions, diabetes, sleep disorders and alcohol and/or drug usage. With regards to eyesight, if corrective lenses are required to pass the examination, those lenses must then be worn at all times whilst the driver is driving.

A couple of extra points to note, firstly an HGV medical renewal will be required every time a licence is up for renewal. If someone is a licenced HGV driver, they must report any changes in their health to the DVLA if they develop any sort of medical condition that may mean they would be unable to continue to drive with their current condition.

After reporting a development, a driver may then be asked to undergo a new HGV driver medical to have the chance to continue driving. After passing a medical examination, the driver may then earn back their ability to drive fully on the roads as they were before, or they may instead be given a short-term licence.

Sometimes, due to the development in a personal condition, a driver may fail their HGV medical test. Even if this does happen, the driver could still have their licence restored by following a process which is in place for such a matter. It is a process that can take a few months or so to complete, but this is done to help ensure that the driver is fit enough to be back on the roads, for their sake as well as others.

Further to this, do not, under any circumstances feel tempted to lie about your medical information during any part of the above process. This is against the law and could land yourself or others in danger when on the roads, not to mention get yourself into legal issues. The HGV driver medical examination is in place to make sure that only people with suitable health are on the roads driving their large vehicles, and this is to help keep everyone safe.

The cost of the HGV driver medical vary widely, some GP’s charge a nominal fee for the examination around £50, others may charge over £100. With this in mind, it is best to check before going ahead with the process. It is often much cheaper to go to a private clinic that specialises in HGV medicals than going to your own GP.

Hopefully, you now have a good understanding of why your HGV driver medical is so important, what it will cost, and how you go about completing it. Remember, you do not have to be in perfect health to pass the examination, it is just making sure that you are in good enough health and fit for the roads.

We hope you enjoyed reading the post, if you want to find out more about the HGV Medical Examination, you can visit the Gov.UK website for more information. You can also download the D4 form here to complete before the medical examination.