Abstract
The driver with diabetes, their healthcare professionals and the relevant driving licensing authority each have roles and responsibilities in helping to minimise health-related road crashes, serious injuries, and emotional and economic costs. This article explores fitness to drive in people with diabetes in light of contemporary national guidelines and requirements.
Key Points
- The main health-related driving concern in people with diabetes treated with glucose-lowering medications is the occurrence of a severe hypoglycaemic event while driving, potentiating a crash risk.
- Impaired vision, neuropathy, sleep disorders and cardiovascular disease are significant diabetes complications and related comorbidities that require assessment as they may also affect fitness to drive.
- The Assessing Fitness to Drive publication provides helpful advice to healthcare professionals, including mandatory requirements in the assessment process.
- To help minimise the occurrence of hypoglycaemia while driving, a person taking glucose-lowering medications should ensure their blood glucose level is above 5.0 mmol/L before driving.
- Occurrence of a severe hypoglycaemic event in a person with diabetes requires cessation of driving, and a nondriving period with a comprehensive reassessment by the relevant medical healthcare team.
Picture credit: © Tyler Olson/adobe.com Model used for illustrative purposes only.
