Could be going back to a ten-year licence for insulin users

[ElyDave]

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2014...-years-for-diabetics-on-insulin-95703653.html

Good news

 

[noblehead]

Ain't that just typical, I sent my renewal off 6 weeks ago and still waiting for DVLA to do their checks and issue a new licence.

I just hope the 10 year licence doesn't lead to more incidents involving hypo unawareness, 10 years is a long time for them to conduct enquiries into whether someone is fit to drive, in the mean time they are just relying on people informing them.

 

[mo1905]

I agree 10 years is a long time but if hypo awareness disappears, you would still need to inform DVLA. Similarly, if regularly suffering serious hypo's. Still, why punish 99% of diabetics who drive safely and within DVLA guidelines ? The risk of a heart attack at the wheel is greater than a serious hypo ( in my experience anyway ). My brother-in-law had a heart attack last year ( not at the wheel thankfully ) and is now on lots of meds. He has no restriction whatsoever on his license. I'm all for keeping us safe on the roads but it needs to be fair and I think diabetics get a bit of a raw deal at present.

 

[ElyDave]

I agree 10 years is a long time but if hypo awareness disappears, you would still need to inform DVLA. Similarly, if regularly suffering serious hypo's. Still, why punish 99% of diabetics who drive safely and within DVLA guidelines ? The risk of a heart attack at the wheel is greater than a serious hypo ( in my experience anyway ). My brother-in-law had a heart attack last year ( not at the wheel thankfully ) and is now on lots of meds. He has no restriction whatsoever on his license. I'm all for keeping us safe on the roads but it needs to be fair and I think diabetics get a bit of a raw deal at present.

well said Mo, take my Father in Law as an example, pretty fit bloke for his age, but suffers from sleep apnoea, so he get tired during the day. No restrictions on his driving.

 

[noblehead]

I agree 10 years is a long time but if hypo awareness disappears, you would still need to inform DVLA. Similarly, if regularly suffering serious hypo's. Still, why punish 99% of diabetics who drive safely and within DVLA guidelines ? The risk of a heart attack at the wheel is greater than a serious hypo ( in my experience anyway ). My brother-in-law had a heart attack last year ( not at the wheel thankfully ) and is now on lots of meds. He has no restriction whatsoever on his license. I'm all for keeping us safe on the roads but it needs to be fair and I think diabetics get a bit of a raw deal at present.

No I agree, but lets just hope it doesn't lead to more incidents on the road due to hypo unawareness.

The emphasis is on the individual to report loss of hypo awareness but the DVLA do occasionally make checks with HCP's, I know this as I'm currently waiting for them to renew my licence after making some checks, the increase from 3 to 10 years will mean less checks are routinely carried out which could have repercussions.....or not as the case may be.

However I suspect once someone's licence is up after a 10 years the DVLA will (in most cases) write to the applicants HCP's. as you say other health conditions do warrant a similar risk to hypo unawareness and it does make it a much fairer system all round, that said I've never really seen it as a problem renewing my licence every 3 years.

 

[martin123]

should you still be driving if you have no awareness
this is what damages it for every one who do the right thing
and if you read the consultation not every one
whom is diabetic will get it renewed for ten years there will still be 1/2/3/year licences

 

[phoenix]

I know this came originally from DUK but I still think there are big question marks about it.
1) European law. One of the reasons for the original changes was to make licences the same all over Europe because you can drive all over Europe and move to another country without having to change your licence (they aren't yet; I know that there are differences here in that many people still have 'grandfather' rights so keep their licences unless they have an accident but all new licences are temporary, with far more 'hoops' than in the UK ( If you all vote to come out then that's a different matter )
2) The DVLA panel have expressed concerns and requested further information so that the issue could be considered at the next Panel meeting. (which isn't until October) They noted that the risk of hypoglycaemia increases with duration of insulin treatment. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa..._data/file/307026/18th_March_2014_minutes.pdf.....

 

[Crimsonclient]

I thought this was if you were using a cgm that is why I am changing from novomix30 to basal/bolus to get referred for a cgm to get my lgv back


Type 2 diagnosed 24/01/2013.
Novomix 30, Victoza, Simvistatin.

 

[denbo]

Just got my hgv bk 2weeks ago after 7mths ov waiting having to go have my meter read by one their independant consultants so back in the road as from 2mrw hope yrs cums soon they don't rush