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Hypos & the DVLA

nixon.luke said:
Hi i am new to the forum i was wondering do i have to report hypos to the DVLA
i already have a 3yr restricted drivers licence.
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I see you are on Insulin. Here is the link to the DVLA Medical Guide.
http://www.dvla.gov.uk/media/pdf/medical/aagv1.pdf

There is a section about Hypo's and if frequent or if hypo awareness is impaired. You need to look at this and if in any doubt contact the DVLA for clarification.

hope this helps.
Ken.
 
cugila said:
nixon.luke said:
Hi i am new to the forum i was wondering do i have to report hypos to the DVLA
i already have a 3yr restricted drivers licence.
Click to expand...


I see you are on Insulin. Here is the link to the DVLA Medical Guide.
http://www.dvla.gov.uk/media/pdf/medical/aagv1.pdf

There is a section about Hypo's and if frequent or if hypo awareness is impaired. You need to look at this and if in any doubt contact the DVLA for clarification.

hope this helps.
Ken.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link Ken
 
Hi

This apopears to be the bit relevant to you:

You must inform DVLA if:
• you suffer more than one episode of disabling hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) within 12 months, or if you or your carer feels you are at high risk of developing disabling hypoglycaemia.
• you develop impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia. (difficulty in recognising the warning symptoms of low blood sugar)
• you suffer disabling hypoglycaemia while driving.
• an existing medical condition gets worse or you develop any other condition that may affect you driving safely.

Ken.
 
IrishCelt said:
tellem nothin.
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Depends how badly you want to get yourself a criminal record!! :roll:
 
We are supposed to inform the dvla if we have more than one hypo a year?
Is there a diabetic on this forum who does not have at least one hypo a year?
And do we all inform the dvla?
 
IrishCelt said:
We are supposed to inform the dvla if we have more than one hypo a year?
Is there a diabetic on this forum who does not have at least one hypo a year?
And do we all inform the dvla?
Click to expand...
The requirement relates to episodes of disabling hypoglycaemia, ie a hypo that requires the intervention of another person. If you have one such hypo you may still keep your licence but that will depend on a satisfactory medical report. Have another within 12 months and you may not be so lucky.

However, failure to tell DVLA about each and every disabling hypo will just come back to haunt you if you do have an accident, and is just plain irresponsible anyway IMHO.
 
Common sense should prevail...

If you are suffering unpredictable hypos, then one should refrain from driving until this is sorted…

If you change regimes or insulin then you should refrain from driving until you know how you react to this new regime change of insulin..

If you become hypo unaware then you should stop driving…

One hand the law states it is an offence to hold a driving licence when hypo unaware and it is also a offence not to notify them of certain changes in medical conditions that might effect your ability to remain holding the issued licence etc… Yes you could be prosecuted in theory…

But the main offence if you use your licence to drive a vehicle, as if you haven’t notified the DVLA that you are no longer entitled to hold a licence because you have become hypo unaware or medical condition has changed and puts your entitlement into doubt, then you will find that you are also driving without insurance because the insurance would be invalidated due to the licence… And they will throw the book at you… along side if you are hypo, then you can also face prosecution for driving while under the influence (even though insulin is a hormone in medical terms, in the eyes of the highway law it classed as a drug) and you face the same penalties as a drink driver…

I doubt that the DVLA send anyone around to your home to check whether you are entitled to hold the licence, and question you just in case.. But if for any reason you are stopped, have a accident etc and they check at this point expect trouble to follow..
 
kegstore said:
IrishCelt said:
We are supposed to inform the dvla if we have more than one hypo a year?
Is there a diabetic on this forum who does not have at least one hypo a year?
And do we all inform the dvla?
Click to expand...
The requirement relates to episodes of disabling hypoglycaemia, ie a hypo that requires the intervention of another person. If you have one such hypo you may still keep your licence but that will depend on a satisfactory medical report. Have another within 12 months and you may not be so lucky.

However, failure to tell DVLA about each and every disabling hypo will just come back to haunt you if you do have an accident, and is just plain irresponsible anyway IMHO.
Click to expand...

Ah disabling hypo.
Thanks for clearing that up.
 
I've just got my provisional through, after the faff of posting like a 6 page diabetes form off with it.

It states that if you have a hypo while in the car, you must turn off the ignition, take the keys out of the car, move out of the car or to the passanger seat and eat something. "YOU MUST WAIT 45 MINUTES BEFORE DRIVING AGAIN." I think that that part is a little ludacrus. I can understand not driving while in a hypo, but to wait 45 minutes. I wouldn't do that if I was at work or ask to leave a lesson at college because I was a little low.
Apparently if you crash due to a hypo, you can also be charged with driving under the influence of drugs. It's not even a drug...it's a hormone.
 
RebeccaSmith said:
I've just got my provisional through, after the faff of posting like a 6 page diabetes form off with it.

It states that if you have a hypo while in the car, you must turn off the ignition, take the keys out of the car, move out of the car or to the passanger seat and eat something. "YOU MUST WAIT 45 MINUTES BEFORE DRIVING AGAIN." I think that that part is a little ludacrus. I can understand not driving while in a hypo, but to wait 45 minutes. I wouldn't do that if I was at work or ask to leave a lesson at college because I was a little low.
Apparently if you crash due to a hypo, you can also be charged with driving under the influence of drugs. It's not even a drug...it's a hormone.
Click to expand...
Well the "faff" is there to protect you and others around you. Driving is not a right it's a privilege.

It may seem ludicrous but the recovery time is stipulated for a reason, which is that it can take up to 45 minutes after your blood sugar returns to normal for your reaction time and judgment to return to fully normal levels. While at work or at college you're not necessarily in charge of a heavy piece of metal capable of very high speed and concomitant damage when you hit something or someone. I hope that makes it clearer?

It's rare to be prosecuted but it can and does happen. In addition if you don't move to the passenger seat in a hypo situation, you are deemed to be "in charge of" or "responsible for" the vehicle, and can be prosecuted almost to the same level as if the vehicle was in motion with you driving it "under the influence".
 
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