Understanding Diabetes

Diabetes:

lThe law: Your responsibilities

lDo I need to notify the DVLA?

lOther circumstances

lWhat if I have an accident?

l Safe driving

Safe driving and the DVLA

What if I have an accident?lHavingahypomeansthatyourbloodglucoselevelistoolow(<4mmol/L).

lActIMMEDIATELYbyeatingordrinkingsomethingthatwillraiseyourbloodglucosequickly.

lNeverignorethewarningsigns.lMakesureotherpeopleknowwhattodowhenyouarehavingahypo.

lAlwayscarryglucose,abloodglucosemeteranddiabetesidentification.

Consequences of frequent hypos:lYoumaynotrecognisefuturehypos.lFearandanxietyofgettingfurtherhypos.lEffectsonemploymentanddriving.If you are concerned about anything within this leaflet please discuss this with your healthcare professional.

Remember …

Further informationlDiabetesUKcareline:08451202960lDiabetesUK:www.diabetes.org.uklDriverandVehicleLicensingAgency: www.directgov.uklTREND-UK:www.trend-uk.orgReferences1.DVLA(2012)Informationfordriverswithdiabetestreatedbynoninsulinmedication,diet,orboth.DVLA,Swansea

2.DiabetesUK(2012)Driving and the New Medical Standards for People with Diabetes.DiabetesUK,London

3.GallenIetal(2012)Drivingandhypoglycaemia:questionsandanswers.Practical Diabetes29:13–14

TheinformationinthisleaflethasbeenreviewedbytheDVLA(January2012)and

endorsedbytheAA(May2012).

Ifyouhaveanaccident,evenifyoufeelitisnotyourfault,testyourbloodglucoseleveltodemonstratewhetherornotyouwerehypo.

Ifyouhaveahypowhiledriving,youmaybechargedwithdrivingundertheinfluenceofadrug(insulinordiabetestablet),drivingwithoutduecareandattention,ordangerousdriving.Ifyouhaveahypoatthewheel,youmustinformtheDVLAassoonasyoucan.

Havingdiabetesdoesnotmeanthatyouhave

togiveupdriving...” “Safe drivinglKeepglucosetreatmentsinthecarwithineasyreachofdriveratalltimes.

lIfyouinjectinsulin,checkyourbloodglucosebeforedriving.Youmayneedtodothisifyoutaketabletsthatmaycausehypos.Group2drivers(bus/lorry)onasulphonylureaorglinidearerequiredbylawtomonitortheirbloodglucoselevelatleasttwicedailyandattimesrelevanttodriving.1,2

lDonotdriveifyourbloodglucoselevelislessthan5mmol/Landyouaretakingadiabetestreatmentthatcancausehypos.2,3Ifso,haveasmallstarchysnack,suchasacoupleofplainbiscuitsorapieceoffruit.

lIfyouhaveahypowhiledriving,stopthecarassoonaspossible.Removethekeystodemonstrateyouarenotinchargeofthecar,andmoveintothepassengerseatifsafetodoso.Treatthehypoasadvised.

You should not drive for at least 45 minutes after recovery because your response rate will be slower.

TheprintinganddistributionofthisleafletwasfundedbyMSDDiabetes.ThecontentwasgeneratedindependentlybyTREND-UKinconjunctionwithSBCommunicationsGroup.

MSDhadtheopportunitytoreviewforcomplianceandmedicalaccuracyonly.

MSDhadtheopportunitytoreviewforcomplianceandmedicalaccuracyonly.

Do I need to notify the DVLA?Hypoglycaemicepisodes(“hypos”)

arewhenyourbloodglucoselevelsaretoolow,whichcanleadtoconfusionandaffectyourabilitytodrive.Thiscanincreasetheriskofaccidents,whichbarssomepeoplefromdriving.Havingdiabetesdoesnotmeanthatyouhavetogiveupdriving,butitdoesmeanthatyouneedtoplaninadvancebeforeyougetbehindthewheel.Complicationsassociatedwithdiabetescanaffectyourabilitytodrive,aswellasyourriskandawarenessofhypos.

Thefollowinginformationassumestherearenoothercircumstancesthataffectyourabilitytodrivesafely,particularlyregardingyourriskof,andyourabilitytodetect,hypos(lowbloodglucoselevels).Ifyouareunsurewhatahypois,orwhichcategoryyourdiabetesmedicationisin,askyourpharmacistoryourdiabeteshealthcareprofessional.

The law: Your responsibilities

Other circumstancesYourabilitytorecogniseandtreathypos,andthedevelopmentofdiabetescomplications,mayaffectyourabilitytodrivesafely.Bylaw,youmustinformtheDVLAwhenthefollowingaffectyou(evenifyouareonlytakingmedicationsthatfallinthe“NO”boxmentionedpreviously):1

lYouneedlasertreatmenttobotheyes,orintheremainingeyeifyouhavesightinoneeyeonly.

lYouareunabletoread(withglassesorcontactlensesifnecessary)acarnumberplateat20.5metres(67feet)or20metres(65feet)wherenarrowercharactersareused.

lYoudevelopanyproblemswiththecirculationorsensationinyourlegsorfeetthatmakesitnecessaryforyoutodrivecertaintypesofvehiclesonly(e.g.automaticvehiclesorvehicleswithahand-operatedacceleratororbrake).

lYousufferfrommorethanoneepisodeofdisablinghypoglycaemia(needinghelpfromanotherperson)within12months,orifyouoryourcarerfeelyouareathighriskofdevelopingdisablinghypoglycaemia.ForGroup2drivers(bus/lorry),oneepisodeofseverehypoglycaemiamustbereportedimmediately.

lYoudevelopimpairedawarenessofhypoglycaemia(delayordifficultyinrecognisingthewarningsymptomsoflowbloodglucose).

lYousufferdisablinghypoglycaemiawhiledriving.lAnexistingmedicalconditiongetsworseoryoudevelopanyotherconditionthatmayaffectyoudrivingsafely.

Nb.Itisadvisabletoinformyourmotorinsurancecompanyifyouhavediabetestoavoidanyproblemsshouldanaccidentoccur.

IfyouareonadiabetesmedicationthatrequiresyoutoinformtheDVLA,itisyourresponsibilitytodoso.Yourdiabetestreatmentsandcircumstancesmaychangeovertime,socheckifthisaffectsyourabilitytodriveandwhetheryouneedtocontacttheDVLA.

ThelawregardingdrivingGroup2vehicleswhenusinginsulinhaschanged.Ifyoucandemonstratethatyoumeetthefollowingcriteria,thenyoumayapplytodriveGroup2vehicles:1–3

lYouhavewell-controlleddiabetes(withevidencefrom3monthsofresultsonabloodglucosemetermemory).

lYouhavehadnoepisodesofseverehypoglycaemia(needingthehelpofanotherperson).

lYouhaveearlywarningsymptomswhenyourbloodglucosebeginstodroptolowlevels.

Formoreinformation,contacttheDVLAanddiscusswithyourdiabeteshealthcareprofessional.

Yourdiabetes Group1 Group2treatment (car, (LGV/PCV) motorcycle)

Managedbydietalone NO NO

Tabletsnotincluded NO YESbelow.Thesehavealowriskofcausinghypos

Non-insulininjections, NO YESunlessyouarealsotakingoneofthetabletsbelow

TabletsthatcarryariskNO YESofhypos.Thisincludessulphonylureas,suchasgliclazide,andglinides(repaglinideandnateglinide)

Insulin YES YES

Temporaryinsulin NO YES(e.g.followingaheartattackorduringgestationaldiabetes)

If you have a hypo while driving, stop the car as soon as possible. Remove the keys to demonstrate you are not in charge of the car, and move into the passenger seat if safe to do so. Treat the hypo as advised.