Driving and diabetes

[JayCee6828]

My sister in law has recently been diagnosed with T2; she cannot take Metformin for some reason so her nurse has told her they may put her on a low dose of Insulin but not to worry as it won't be a high enough dose to have to tell DVLA.

Is their such a limit, I have always assumed if you take insulin you have to tell DVLA no matter what The amount.

 

[Ali H]

You are right she must fill in a DIAB form and submit to DVLA.

See various other threads on here as you also have to test and be certain levels.

Ali

 

[Ali H]

Btw, there are a dozen alternatives before insulin such as gliclazide, repaglinide, victoza ..... so why jump to insulin? I would be challenging the nurse personally.

Ali

 

[chocky58]

What rubbish advice from someone who should know better - a so-called expert

 

[June_C]

I've just plucked up the courage to fill in the DVLA form as I'm a T1 on insulin. I've ticked all the right boxes and hope the Consultant and gp who I've never seen (just the gp's DSN) also tick the right boxes. I'm terrified of losing my licence as it would impact on my life enormously. I'd be marooned and also no longer be able to help out with grandson sitting. I will be spitting feathers if some jobsworth decrees I can no longer drive. Grrrrrr..................

 

[Moosepig]

Am i right in thinking you don't need to inform the dvla if youre type 2 and on metformin and sitaglyptin? My motor insurance company know

 

[scottish-jim]

Am i right in thinking you don't need to inform the dvla if youre type 2 and on metformin and sitaglyptin? My motor insurance company know

Yes you are correct

Useful link here for confirmation: https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-driving

 

[scottish-jim]

My sister in law has recently been diagnosed with T2; she cannot take Metformin for some reason so her nurse has told her they may put her on a low dose of Insulin but not to worry as it won't be a high enough dose to have to tell DVLA.

Is their such a limit, I have always assumed if you take insulin you have to tell DVLA no matter what The amount.

No such limit - that was really bad advice. You are right - if you go on insulin no matter how much, you must inform DVLA.

Useful link for confirmation here: https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-driving

 

[Ali H]

Any medication that can induce hypo's will affect ones 'ability to drive' as defined by DVLA. Glycazide and Repaglinide can also do this and would therefore be notifiable. Although technically not notifiable in their own right, Victoza and Sitagliptin can increase the risk of hypos's when taken with other diebetes medications.

The DVLA are quite specific about what they want to know about, please don't keep posting misinformation. I have been on glic and victoza etc and they don't want to know. They don't want to know about hypos, they DO want to know about SEVERE hypos as defined on their page as needing assistance from another, not that another helped you. Please take a look at their page, all these posts are muddying the water constantly and people are clearly confused about what they need to tell DVLA, insurers etc. I am of course discussing car drivers here, not HGV.

Ali

 

[Ali H]

Diabetes and driving


You may need to tell DVLA about your diabetes, depending on how it’s treated and the licence you have.

You can be fined up to £1,000 if you don’t tell DVLA about a medical condition that affects your driving. You may be prosecuted if you’re involved in an accident as a result.

Diabetes treated by Sulphonylureas or Glinide tablets (or both)
Car or motorcycle licence
You don’t need to tell DVLA. Read leaflet INF188/2 to find out more about driving with diabetes.

Bus, coach or lorry licence
You must tell DVLA. Fill in form VDIAB1SG and send it to DVLA. The address is on the form.

Download leaflet INS186 if you want to apply for vocational entitlement to drive larger vehicles (C1, C1E, D1, DIE, C, CE, D or DE).

Diabetes treated by any other tablets or non-insulin injections
Car or motorcycle licence
You don’t need to tell DVLA. For further information read leaflet INF188/2.

Bus, coach or lorry licence
You must tell DVLA. Fill in form VDIAB1GEN and send it to DVLA. The address is on the form.

Read leaflet INS186 if you want to apply for vocational entitlement to drive larger vehicles (C1, C1E, D1, DIE, C, CE, D or DE).

Diabetes treated by insulin
Car or motorcycle licence
You must tell DVLA. Fill in form DIAB1 and send it to DVLA. The address is on the form.

Read ‘A guide to filling in your DIAB1 medical form’ to get help with filling in DIAB1.

Bus, coach or lorry licence
You must tell DVLA. Fill in form VDIAB1I and send it to DVLA. The address is on the form.

Read leaflet INS186 if you want to apply for vocational entitlement to drive larger vehicles (C1, C1E, D1, DIE, C, CE, D or DE).

Diabetes treated by diet
Car or motorcycle licence
You don’t need to tell DVLA. Read leaflet INF188/2 for more information.

Bus, coach or lorry licence
You don’t need to tell DVLA. For further information read leaflet INF188/5 for more information.

Read leaflet INS186 if you want to apply for vocational entitlement to drive larger vehicles (C1, C1E, D1, DIE, C, CE, D or DE).

Last updated: 12 November 2014


Here's the entire article in fact! Pretty clear and simple.

 

[Ali H]

I've just plucked up the courage to fill in the DVLA form as I'm a T1 on insulin. I've ticked all the right boxes and hope the Consultant and gp who I've never seen (just the gp's DSN) also tick the right boxes. I'm terrified of losing my licence as it would impact on my life enormously. I'd be marooned and also no longer be able to help out with grandson sitting. I will be spitting feathers if some jobsworth decrees I can no longer drive. Grrrrrr..................

Be sure you have answered the hypo question correctly, it is hypos requiring assistance, not that you have had a hypo or that somebody fetched you a lucozade from the fridge. They are referring to severe hypos where you couldn't help yourself.

Ali

 

[June_C]

I've just re- read the DVLA guidelines and in one para they state that a hypo can occur when diabetes is treated with insulin or tablets or both and yet they also state that drivers don't have to inform them if their diabetes is treated by tablets, diet or both. Slightly confused. Tablet treated diabetes is not notifiable and yet they admit hypos can be caused by tablets. I think I'll just stick with my understanding that if Insulin is used then notification is a must, but you can forget about the other ways to control diabetes.

 

[June_C]

Be sure you have answered the hypo question correctly, it is hypos requiring assistance, not that you have had a hypo or that somebody fetched you a lucozade from the fridge. They are referring to severe hypos where you couldn't help yourself.

Ali

I'm fortunate enough to have had only one hypo so far, recognised it and treated it immediately by myself. So I've answered the hypo question truthfully and am keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Ali H]

I'm fortunate enough to have had only one hypo so far, recognised it and treated it immediately by myself. So I've answered the hypo question truthfully and am keeping my fingers crossed.

For what reason would you need to cross fingers? Have you had any serious hypos? No. You recognised and treated it, that is all they are looking for, that you are hypo aware, know how to treat etc etc. So your answer to the severe hypo question is no.

Ali

 

[Ali H]

I've just re- read the DVLA guidelines and in one para they state that a hypo can occur when diabetes is treated with insulin or tablets or both and yet they also state that drivers don't have to inform them if their diabetes is treated by tablets, diet or both. Slightly confused. Tablet treated diabetes is not notifiable and yet they admit hypos can be caused by tablets. I think I'll just stick with my understanding that if Insulin is used then notification is a must, but you can forget about the other ways to control diabetes.

What's to be confused about? They make it clear what they want to know about so hey, just play their game lol!!

Ali

 

[Ali H]

I've just re- read the DVLA guidelines and in one para they state that a hypo can occur when diabetes is treated with insulin or tablets or both and yet they also state that drivers don't have to inform them if their diabetes is treated by tablets, diet or both. Slightly confused. Tablet treated diabetes is not notifiable and yet they admit hypos can be caused by tablets. I think I'll just stick with my understanding that if Insulin is used then notification is a must, but you can forget about the other ways to control diabetes.

Yes, that's exactly it, for a normal car licence, insulin only. I didn't find other tablets gave me hypos and I think their lack of concern for the other methods is that generally speaking, they are not known for abrupt plummets whereas with insulin you can easily fall through the floor if you aren't careful or do unexpected exercise, don't complete your meal, miscalculate etc.

Ali

 

[June_C]

For what reason would you need to cross fingers? Have you had any serious hypos? No. You recognised and treated it, that is all they are looking for, that you are hypo aware, know how to treat etc etc. So your answer to the severe hypo question is no.

Ali

Just concerned that there's a jobsworth lurking about who puts the tick in the wrong box.

 

[Ali H]

Just concerned that there's a jobsworth lurking about who puts the tick in the wrong box.

It is your form that they go by so if you have ticked the no correctly then in the event of a query it is what you have signed for that counts. Make sure you keep a copy of your licence and of the form....... and compare the categories when it comes back to ensure only the 7.5 ton entitlement has been removed if it was applicable.

Ali

 

[June_C]

Yes, that's exactly it, for a normal car licence, insulin only. I didn't find other tablets gave me hypos and I think their lack of concern for the other methods is that generally speaking, they are not known for abrupt plummets whereas with insulin you can easily fall through the floor if you aren't careful or do unexpected exercise, don't complete your meal, miscalculate etc.

Ali

You have to admit though to state hypos can come on with just tablets, but you don't have to notify them is confusing. Why not just state that if your diabetes is Insulin controlled then they need to know?

It is your form that they go by so if you have ticked the no correctly then in the event of a query it is what you have signed for that counts. Make sure you keep a copy of your licence and of the form....... and compare the categories when it comes back to ensure only the 7.5 ton entitlement has been removed if it was applicable.

Ali

No worries, I kept a copy and the tick went in the NO box for a severe hypo episode.

 

[urbanracer]

The DVLA are quite specific about what they want to know about, please don't keep posting misinformation. I have been on glic and victoza etc and they don't want to know. They don't want to know about hypos, they DO want to know about SEVERE hypos as defined on their page as needing assistance from another, not that another helped you. Please take a look at their page, all these posts are muddying the water constantly and people are clearly confused about what they need to tell DVLA, insurers etc. I am of course discussing car drivers here, not HGV.

Ali

Ok apologies, I stand corrected. Was sure I'd read the opposite somewhere though.