New guidance issued by the General Medical Council (GMC) last year stated that doctors must "make every reasonable effort" to persuade patients to contact the
DVLA voluntarily if they are medically unfit to drive.
"Keeping
DVLA informed ensures that drivers can be notified promptly with important information affecting them such as reminders when their licence is due for renewal.
New guidance for car and motorcycle drivers (group one) states that license holders now only need to tell the
DVLA about cataract if they do not meet the relevant visual standards for driving.
A
DVLA spokeswoman said: "We are aware that some members of the public are receiving emails and texts claiming to be from
DVLA.
DVLA bosses say a new national advertising campaign launching today using a hand-painted, clamped car designed to look transparent, gives a clear message to tax dodgers - "even if you think you're invisible to
DVLA, you're not - tax your car or risk losing it".
And additional research by Direct Line has revealed the reasons why drivers did not declare their medical conditions to the
DVLA.
But the small print reveals you must still register with the
DVLA.
"I changed my name this time last year and at first the
DVLA refused a driving licence," said Mr Lightyear, an assistant manager for an electrical wholesaler.
I am no expert on computers, far from it, but surely in this day and age a place as big and important as the
DVLA should have a system that changes your address for all departments.
But many people were unable to get on to the
DVLA site, prompting the agency to issue an apology and to advise vehicle owners to "keep trying".
Another
DVLA customer is G24, which gets hundreds of complaints every week from drivers about unfair tickets.
Under the Government proposals, the work done at the centres will be centralised at the
DVLA's headquarters in Swansea, South Wales.