Safe driving with diabetes

Janine Berdelmann studied social sciences and completed her traineeship in the editorial team. She is the author of numerous science news and advice topics on .

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Dizziness, sweating and confusion - hypoglycaemia is not to be trifled with. Especially when diabetics are driving, such a drop in blood sugar can quickly become life-threatening. And for others too. With these tips you will drive safely.

In people with type 1 diabetes, the blood sugar level sometimes plummets from one second to the next. And not infrequently, without those affected noticing. If the body suddenly has too little sugar available, it is very confused. Among other things, headaches, concentration problems or visual disturbances arise. None of the complaints that you would like to have while driving a car. But things can get worse: If diabetics with hypoglycaemia do not consume any carbohydrates - for example, glucose - they can even fall into a coma in the worst case.

Driving safety in the test

Scientists at the University of Virginia are also concerned with this problem and possible solutions. In order to evaluate the driving safety of diabetics, Dr. Daniel Cox and his team carried out a study with 1768 type 1 diabetics. They should create a monthly driving diary over a period of one year. In it they answered questions about the kilometers driven and how they had dealt with the threat of hypoglycaemia. They also provided information on hypoglycaemia that actually occurred while driving, as well as dangerous situations or even accidents.

Badly adjusted, high risk

A total of 501 diabetics completed the driving diary. The evaluation showed that, based on their information, well over half, namely 397 drivers, had a high risk of an accident. Only in 122 was the risk classified as low. When the researchers compared how often dangerous situations or accidents had actually occurred, it was found that those with a high risk were 2.6 times more likely to have actually experienced dangerous situations while driving.

Online workshop is worth it

The number made the scientists questionable. That is why they are immediately testing an approach as to how the high number of high-risk drivers could be reduced. To do this, they divided the 379 diabetics into two groups. One received routine care for safety when driving with diabetes. The second took part in an online workshop where specific tips were given. All diabetics kept the well-known driving diary every month for a year. The result: The interactive online training was particularly effective! Overall, 53 percent of the subjects who took part had experienced less critical situations.

Raise awareness

An important function that the online workshop fulfilled is certainly to raise awareness of dangerous situations. For example, some diabetics can no longer properly perceive the warning signs of hypoglycaemia. Here it helps to consciously sharpen and train your attention. But there is also very specific assistance that every diabetic can easily implement:

• Emergency bag for the car with blood glucose meter and glucose
• Have slow-acting carbohydrates (such as biscuits) close at hand, for example for traffic jams
• Measure the sugar level before every car trip, preferably to write it down in a notebook
• If you are tired, let someone else drive or take a break
• Check your blood sugar every two hours on long journeys
• It is better not to drink alcohol directly before or while driving

Now it has happened after all

Despite all the precautionary measures, it can still crash. Here the German Diabetes Center (DDZ) advises not to mention diabetes. At the scene of the accident, only personal information would have to be provided, not about the course of the accident or about possible illnesses. That's why you shouldn't be tempted to state a possible hypoglycemia as the reason for the accident. However, if the police ask directly about diabetes, it must of course be answered truthfully. Normally, according to the DDZ, the insurance also covers the accident damage as normal - if it is clear that the cause of the accident is hypoglycaemia, the insurance company can reclaim part of the expenses from the person who caused the accident. For this reason, too, it is advisable to regularly record blood sugar measurements in writing before starting your journey. In this way you can show that you are careful with your risk.

If the doctor forbids driving ...

Of course, diabetes itself is not a reason to revoke a driver's license. However, the attending physician can forbid driving a car, for example if the diabetes has already caused damage to the eyes or nerves. If the patient gets behind the wheel anyway and causes an accident, there is a risk not only of heavy fines, but also of imprisonment. In such a case, there is also a risk of the driver's license being withdrawn.

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