Diabetes and driving licenses are not mutually exclusive. You can drive a car with diabetes. A person with diabetes can become a driver, also a professional driver. However, it must meet the appropriate conditions. It is much more difficult for a diabetic to apply for a professional driving license. Check when a diabetic can get a driving license - it's amateur and professional, what are the absolute contraindications for a diabetic to obtain a driving license and what he must remember when driving.

Diabetesanddriving licenseare not mutually exclusive. A person with diabetes can become adriver , also a professional driver. However, it must meet certain conditions. Diabetes mellitus is one of the many diseases that can increase the risk of deterioration of a driver's ability to drive. The number of risk factors that this disease carries with it is relatively large, maybe even greater than in other diseases, but also, in most cases, in diabetes, these risks can be predicted and effectively counteracted. The dangers of diabetes are due to medication errors rather than the essence of the disease.

One of the very serious complications of diabetes that can affect road safety is hypoglycemia in a diabetic driver.

For judicial purposes, patients with diabetes treated pharmacologically, applying for fitness to drive or already having a driving license, were divided into two groups. Group 1 is the so-called the "amateur" group concerns driving a motorcycle, as well as a passenger car. Group 2, also called "professional", concerns driving a motorcycle, passenger car as part of official duties and driving a truck, bus, tram, transporting goods or people.

Newly diagnosed diabetes and driving license

The adjudication procedure in drivers diagnosed with diabetes depends on the type of diabetes, the degree of its advancement, therapeutic effects, age of the patient, duration of the disease and the driving license category.

In the case of newly diagnosed diabetes, the qualification of the patient is postponed for 6 months. Half a year is the time needed for glycemic levels to stabilize. Only 6 months after the diagnosis of diabetes, the patient can apply for a driving license.

Driving license and previous diabetes

Win the case of previously diagnosed pharmacologically treated diabetes, in the event of absolute contraindications (e.g. complications of diabetes in the form of diabetic retinopathy), an authorized physician may at this stage absolute contraindication to driving and not refer the patient to other consultations. On the basis of the examination, an authorized physician may issue a medical certificate in a patient from group 1, but usually the procedure is more complex.

Diabetes and amateur driving license

Diabetic applying for a professional driving license:

1. Must be fully aware of the risks of hypoglycaemia, particularly the risk of unconsciousness.

2. It is also necessary to demonstrate adequate control over the course of diabetes by a diabetic.

3. The necessity of a diabetes consultation is obligatory only with insulin therapy.

The maximum validity period for a driving license is 5 years.

Important

Absolute contraindications for obtaining an amateur driving license by a diabetic

1. Recurrent severe hypoglycaemia or 2 episodes of 55 severe hypoglycaemia 55 mg / dL (3.0 mmol / L) within 12 months.

2. Hypoglycemia unawareness.

Diabetes and professional driving license

Obtaining a professional driving license for someone with diabetes is more difficult than obtaining an amateur driving license. The validity period of the driving license is also shorter, which is 3 years (in the case of insulin-dependent diabetes - 1 year).

In the case of drivers with a professional driver's license, even one episode of severe glycemia disqualifies them as a professional driver.

Diabetic applying for a professional driving license:

1. He must demonstrate full knowledge of the risks of hypoglycaemia, particularly the risk of unconsciousness.

2. It is also necessary to demonstrate adequate control over the course of the disease: regular monitoring of blood glucose, at least twice a day and during the times of the day associated with driving.

3. Contrary to the amateur driving license, there is also the necessity to consult each patient with diabetes and document the control of diabetes by the attending physician.

Important

Absolute contraindications for obtaining a professional driving license by a diabetic

1. Any case of severe hypoglycemia.

2. Hypoglycemia unawareness.

3. Other diabetes complications that preclude driving (eye damage, advanced neuropathy, and very low blood pressure).

Worth knowing

A doctor may request an opinion from a specialist diabetologist

A doctor may seek an opinion of a diabetologist in case of diagnostic and certification doubts, when the patient:

  • has little knowledge of diabetes, treatment and complications
  • does not follow medical recommendations, especially when he / she does not conduct self-control or does not use treatment
  • has a hypoglycaemia documented in the sugar diary, i.e. a blood glucose value below 70 mg / dl exceeding 10% of the measurements
  • the patient has poorly balanced diabetes, i.e. Hba1c (glycosylated hemoglobin) over 8%.

What do a diabetic need to remember if he / she is going to drive a car?

1. You must have the so-called necessities for diabetics, i.e .: insulin pen, bracelet or ID card with information about the disease, glucometer and test strips. 2. Don't get behind the wheel (especially in the morning) until you measure your blood glucose, take insulin, and eat breakfast. If you are consistently short on time, ask your doctor for an insulin analog that starts working immediately after the injection. 3. If you must drive and your blood glucose is below 90 mg%, be sure to eat something. Don't leave the house without sandwiches or bars for the road.

A patient using pen therapy can be well-aligned and apply, just like an insulin pump patient, for a driving license.

4. Even when you are close to work or a plot of land, you must have food, sweet juice and candies in the car. Diabetics say that it's good to take cola with you because it works fast. If you get stuck in a long traffic jam or for any other reason you do not eat in time, thanks to the small pantry you will avoid hypoglycaemia.5 When you feel unwell, stop the car in a safe place and remove the key from the ignition. Eat a sandwich or two lumps of sugar, measure your blood sugar after 15-20 minutes. Take a dozen or so minutes to rest before you hit the road. Before that, your brain won't work properly. You can then cross the axis of the road, drive too fast or brake unnecessarily. When you set off on a long journey, be accompanied by a person prepared to help you in the moment of low sugar. If you are driving alone, take a short break every 2 hours for a small meal and respect your insulin intake. 7. Do not drive at night because even if you do not have diabetic retinopathy, the changes in the vessels in your retina continue to progress. This can result in poorer vision and a temporary loss of vision due to being blinded by other cars.8 If you are driving in the morning, avoid drinking strong alcohol the previous day(vodka, whiskey) and sweet (liqueurs, beer). All you can afford once is approx. 20 g (e.g. half a glass of wine) .9. If your doctor has changed your insulin or its dosage regimen, do not drive for at least a week or more. The body needs to get used to it and you will learn how to react to a new type of drug.

Important

People with diabetes must be made very clear that diabetes is a very serious risk factor for road safety. The patient must be aware that diabetes cannot be treated as a factor reducing the driver's responsibility in the event of an accident.

More than 1/3 of Poles do not know that they have type 2 diabetes

Source: lifestyle.newseria.pl

Source:

1. REGULATION OF THE MINISTER OF HEALTH of 7 January 2004 on medical examinations of drivers and applicants for the right to drive vehicles

2. Otto-Buczkowska E., Różycka D., Are diabetics more risky drivers than other people? "Medycyna Rodzinna" 2007, No. 3

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