I would have thought that if your attendance of the detox program and subsequent use of Acamprosate has not been made aware to your GP, then you are best to carry on not drinking, have the DVLA medical and hope that you register a low % CDT reading.Subsequently your GP will have to complete a DVLA medical report for you, but if your detox is not mentioned and you have never had cause to report alcohol related symptoms/problems to your GP in the last 6 years, then wait a few months and your licence should be reinstated.
I do not think that is good advice at all.
It is one thing to be ‘creative’ about only drinking within government guidelines, but another think altogether to tell blatant lies about having been on an alcohol detox programme recently in the hope that it will not be discovered.
The declaration signed on the DR1 for warns:
“I understand that it is a criminal offence if I make a false declaration to obtain a driving licence and can lead to prosecution.”
The form that has to be completed, with all the questions and the declaration can be seen here:
As I said, that would probably not be the case for lying about being alcohol dependent and being in detox recently.
If you misled them about your drinking, and your CDT came back as high, you could be ‘mystified’ about it.
If the dependency and detox come to light what can you say? Bang to right for lying and either a prosecution or years of struggling against DVLA who would dig their heels in every way possible.
Suppose Andy71 checks with his GP about his records and nothing shows up about detox, but then a week after he has checked a belated report arrives from the detox centre? If it is NHS related they are almost sure to forward some information to the GP…. Eventually.
I have seen all to often where people look for the easy route by telling lies, only to find that the lies lead to a much worse situation when they are discovered.
A leading addiction charity has reported:
“Relapse is when an alcoholic returns to alcohol after a period of sobriety. You may be surprised to know that up to 90% of alcoholics relapse at least once before taking full control of their addiction”
What to do in alcohol relapse? Be supportive until they feel comfortable enough to take the responsibility themselves and seek help.
www.ukat.co.uk
That is why the process is in place with DVLA, to monitor people at risk of relapse, and at risk of harming other road users.