DVLA

[jibjab1963]

Hi Guys , New to this forum. I was diagnosed in December 2017 as a type 1.I am controlling my BSL ok & Doc seems to be very impressed with me with my determination to get this right with low carbs etc. Can you guys tell me your experiences when you inform the DVLA please . Do they take your licence off you ? :-( ... Thanks guys everso x

 

[Jaylee]

Hi @jibjab1963 ,

Welcome to the forum..!

Short answer to your query. No they won't revoke your licence. But it will be restricted to a renewal every 3 years (maximum.) pending a questionare on medical status...?

Here's a link to DVLA. https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-driving

 

[Deleted Account]

Why would you expect the DVLA to take your license off you.
That would suggest there are no people with type 1 driving or doing any careers which require you to drive.
The DVLA want to know you have some hypo awareness and have not experienced serious hypo (requiring someone else to assist) in the last year.
In return for this information, they give you a license valid for 3 years. As the date approaches for this to expire, you repeat this process.

 

[Pmerrill]

Hi Guys , New to this forum. I was diagnosed in December 2017 as a type 1.I am controlling my BSL ok & Doc seems to be very impressed with me with my determination to get this right with low carbs etc. Can you guys tell me your experiences when you inform the DVLA please . Do they take your licence off you ? :-( ... Thanks guys everso x

Hi there,

Are you injecting insulin yet? If not, you’re not required to inform the DVLA until you are.

All the best

Pete

 

[jibjab1963]

Hi Pete , I was put on 2 metformin & injecting straight away as my ketone reading was 3.1 ... Escaped hospital by the skin of my teeth . Thanks Pete for responding

 

[jibjab1963]

Why would you expect the DVLA to take your license off you.
That would suggest there are no people with type 1 driving or doing any careers which require you to drive.
The DVLA want to know you have some hypo awareness and have not experienced serious hypo (requiring someone else to assist) in the last year.
In return for this information, they give you a license valid for 3 years. As the date approaches for this to expire, you repeat this process.

Wow , Tha

Why would you expect the DVLA to take your license off you.
That would suggest there are no people with type 1 driving or doing any careers which require you to drive.
The DVLA want to know you have some hypo awareness and have not experienced serious hypo (requiring someone else to assist) in the last year.
In return for this information, they give you a license valid for 3 years. As the date approaches for this to expire, you repeat this process.

Wow ... I have had people saying all kinds of negative things to me reguarding this subject & I drive for a living ... Thanks very much Jaylee

 

[jibjab1963]

Hi @jibjab1963 ,

Welcome to the forum..!

Short answer to your query. No they won't revoke your licence. But it will be restricted to a renewal every 3 years (maximum.) pending a questionare on medical status...?

Here's a link to DVLA. https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-driving

Thank you very much for the information and I will read shortly ... A wonderful imformative site with friendly helpful people ...Thank you very much

 

[Jaylee]

Thank you very much for the information and I will read shortly ... A wonderful imformative site with friendly helpful people ...Thank you very much

No problem! More info for you... https://www.gov.uk/guidance/diabetes-mellitus-assessing-fitness-to-drive

Personally. I've had no issue with my employers passing me the keys to the works van or pickup..

 

[jibjab1963]

No problem! More info for you... https://www.gov.uk/guidance/diabetes-mellitus-assessing-fitness-to-drive

Personally. I've had no issue with my employers passing me the keys to the works van or pickup..

Could you tell me if your vehicle insurance goes up please Jaylee ?

 

[Pmerrill]

You need to tell the insurance company but mine didn’t go up.

 

[EllieM]

My understanding is that if you're on insulin you have to blood test before you drive and make sure it's 5 or above. Out of curiosity, anyone know when this rule came in? I have been diabetic and drove all my life (well, driving since 17) and all I had to do in 1999 was give them my diabetic specialist details and tell them I had good hypo awareness?

It's actually a good idea (the blood test before getting into the car), so I've taken to doing it now I'm in NZ, though I don't know if it's required here.

 

[Dark Horse]

My understanding is that if you're on insulin you have to blood test before you drive and make sure it's 5 or above. Out of curiosity, anyone know when this rule came in? I have been diabetic and drove all my life (well, driving since 17) and all I had to do in 1999 was give them my diabetic specialist details and tell them I had good hypo awareness?

It's actually a good idea (the blood test before getting into the car), so I've taken to doing it now I'm in NZ, though I don't know if it's required here.

NZ transport agency advise snacks before and during long journeys and to test regularly; they also give specific advice about how long you should refrain from driving after a hypo. Interestingly, people with type 1 in New Zealand are not generally considered fit to drive 'heavy trade vehicles, taxis, buses or other related vehicles' although they may be granted a licence to do so in 'exceptional circumstances'.
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/driver-lic...ce/medical-requirements/diabetes-and-driving/

 

[Jaylee]

Could you tell me if your vehicle insurance goes up please Jaylee ?

Well?! I was diagnosed 7/8 sort of on my 8th birthday.. When I first started driving I was 3rd party F&T?
Then later when buying something newer the premium price didn't realy change with a fully comp..?
When I started getting into Jap import vans I was paying roughly the same again.. Infact if anything, the premium surprisingly got cheaper as I got older & stayed with the company. My post code is good too? (With a long history of no own fault claims since 1987?)
In short, I don't feel I was discriminated against for being T1...

 

[Zilsniggy]

Wow ... I have had people saying all kinds of negative things to me reguarding this subject & I drive for a living ... Thanks very much Jaylee

Hi, it very much depends on what type of vehicle you drive and the licence you have. There can be issues for some vocational drivers, eg police, fire, ambulance. There have been occasions of these drivers being able to continue in position, and not to discourage you, generally after a period of time and a bit of a fight on their part. You may not be able to continue to drive if you drive an LGV, or a PSV, and this decision is generally made in accordance with DVLA guidelines. The guidelines for an ordinary driving licence are different than those for and LGV or PSV, the medical for these is a lot more stringent.

 

[Zilsniggy]

Keep controlling your sugars well, the DVLA will expect to see 3 months' worth of readings. DO NOT use anything like the Freestyle Libra device as they do not currently accept the readings from this device. Make sure that at all times when you drive, you are testing before you gat out on the road, and that your BS is over 5 each time. You are also meant to have breaks every 2 hours and to test at that interval on a long drive, and also always have something on hand to treat a hypo, such as glucose tabs. After a hypo, do NOT drive for at least 45 minutes.

 

[Shiba Park]

Could you tell me if your vehicle insurance goes up please Jaylee ?

It didn't make a difference for me... In fact my insurance company wasn't interested when I told them that I had developed T1!

 

[Glucobabu]

Forty odd years back most insurance companies I dealt with did ‘load’ the premium slightly. But gradually they accepted that there was no significant difference in number of claims between diabetic and non-diabetic drivers. And now there is no extra premium charged. But of course it is mandatory to inform your insurance company as well the DVLA.

 

[Fairygodmother]

The insurance companies now seem to trust the DVLA: if the DVLA say you’re fit to drive then it’s good enough for the insurance companies. It probably saves them money since they no longer need to do the extra work to investigate driver-fitness themselves.

 

[leahkian]

Sometimes the DVLA will ask you to go and get your eye sight checked if your diabetes has caused any damage to the eyes but i think i went 6 times for a eye test and done the test and am still driving. The only problem with the DVLA was when i had my double transplant and phoned them up to tell them about it and the way they were talking was if i was telling them lies, so i had to tell them who to contact at the hospital and now i have to have a review every 10 years

 

[JohnJ]

Hi there,

Are you injecting insulin yet? If not, you’re not required to inform the DVLA until you are.

All the best

Pete

If you are taking any tablets, like Gliclazide that can cause hypos you do have to inform DVLA.

I am on insulin and you get a 3 year licence but big issue you have to test every 2 hours driving and must be over 5.5 or take action to raise to 5.5 or over and wait 45 minutes.

I have mentioned in another thread that a diabetic lost their licence when police checked their monitor! The police can insist they see your monitor.

When I spoke to insurance company there was no extra charges as they said it is monitored by the DVLA and police. You sign a contract with DVLA, I read the small print and it does say you must test constantly.

Also on replaced licence I can no longer drive a 7.5 ton lorry! So can restrict any driving job, I know a guy who lost his job as a coach driver.

Do check all insurance and other legal aspects, you know how companies will use any 'small print' statement against you!