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Insulin testing

B

Banacheque

Member
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I have just renewed my driving licence in which I had to fill in a medical form about my diabetes. When I renewed my licence last time you self certified your medical certificate as being correct. When I sent the application of to the DVLA they wrote to my doctor for confirmation with regards blood sugar control and if I had suffered any hypos.

Upon receipt of my licence valid for 3 years there was literature enclosed stating that you now have to test your blood sugars prior to driving and if on a long journey test every 2 hours, in addition to carrying a blood glucose meter in your car.

It appear the DVLA are tightening up on people who suffer from hypos and drive. It has now been revealed by my doctor if you are in a accident because these details are on you licence they could ask you to check your sugar levels,as appose to other tests. So when putting in you application ( which you can look at and download from the DVLA called a Dia 1 ) you can see what the medical review requires.

On a different not get an application from the post office for a renewal driving licence and go through the questionnaire which has now changed, let me give you one example.

Do you need glasses to drive yes or no I replied yes therefore on my licence I have code 01 which says I wear glasses and the DVLA have been informed.

If you get stopped by the police and you produce your licence
and you are wearing glasses they will look to see if you have a code 01 on you licence if you have not you can be prosecuted for not informing the DVLA you wear glasses. I say this from personal experience.

I am not trying to advise anyone but telling you to think before you answer these forms
 
Great post, a handy heads-up for many.
 
Hi,

Thanks for the info @Banacheque .

I've been doing these forms every three years since passing my test in 1986. 3 year maximum is the most DVLA give.
DVLA have amended some T&Cs over the years. But on the whole it is what it is.


Happy safe motoring.
 

Wow, that's a bit harsh. I'm borderline on the glasses front: pass the sight test without but see better with, so I usually but not always wear them. I also have light sensitive lenses which darken when the light is in my eyes. I think if I was challenged for wearing them in the UK I would demonstrate that I could read the number plate at the required distance.....Do you think that would work?

I've been a T1 with a driving license in the UK, Australia and now New Zealand. The UK allowed me to self certify (with details of my diabetic clinic) but Australia required a doctor's note (and the doctor checked my eyesight) while NZ required a doctor's note, and checked my vision at the licensing centre. As a T1, no one wants to give me a license for more than 3 (or 2) years, so I've done a lot of renewals over the last 40 years....
 
Presumably the prescription glasses thing only applies if you have a license that was issued after the change to the questions? Probably a silly question but I feel like it needs clarification.
 

I've been stopped by the law a few times. Both here & in mainland Eroupe.
Providing the driver's eyesight meets the legal requirement with or without corrective lenses. There's not a problem.

Oddly, I've never once been asked to see my meter or if I've gone to Specsavers.. They didn't even notice the 3 year restriction.
Providing the licence entitlement is currently in date & valid. The driver isn't intoxicated & the vehicle is road legal.
I've never felt any discrimination.
 
The information relating to medical conditions and your driving licence is very clear, and easily found on the DVLA website

https://www.gov.uk/driving-medical-conditions

There is a page dedicated to Diabetes. The rules for driving with Diabetes for Insulin users were actually eased last year (except for professional drivers), and the criteria for what type of Hypo event that needs to be reported narrowed.

https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-driving

They have very helpful leaflets covering Diabetes, and what needs to be reported and how you should deal with driving when you have diabetes treated with Insulin and/or other medication, or by diet alone.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-for-drivers-with-diabetes

The eysesight rules for driving are also very clear, and can be found here

https://www.gov.uk/driving-eyesight-rules

If you have a notifiable medical condition, (including the need to wear glasses to achieve the minimum eyesight standards if you have a Class 2 licence) you must inform DVLA (which can be done online) and you can be fined for not doing so.

The requirement to notify DVLA is not new, and has been the case for many years.
 
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“You must tell DVLA if you’ve got any problem with your eyesight that affects both of your eyes, or the remaining eye if you only have one eye.

This doesn’t include being short or long sighted or colour blind.”

I would think that the bolded part precludes most folk who wear glasses from notifying the DVLA?
 
EllieM said:
I also have light sensitive lenses which darken when the light is in my eyes.
Click to expand...

I use these lenses in my glasses, too, but I find them pretty much pointless in all modern cars, as the glass these days is UV blocking. Certainly the windscreens anyway...
 
Jim Lahey said:
I would think that the bolded part precludes most folk who wear glasses from notifying the DVLA?
Click to expand...

Yes, if you can meet the minimum standards then you do not need to. The need to inform DVLA when you wear glasses to achieve the minimum standard only applies to Class 2 (professional) drivers who will then get the 01 code on their licence, and then they could be prosecuted if found driving and not wearing their glasses.

However if the holder of a standard licence has informed the DVLA that they wear glasses, a 01 code will be placed on their licence too, and the same thing will then apply.
 
As I stated I am note trying to advise anyone what to do but only my experience and people who used to fill in the self certified medical certified as appose to the new medical form will understand with regards the eyesight and the 01 code it is not just a case of whether you can read a number plate at 20mtrs but a case of wether you put on the DIAB1 YES or NO there is NO in between hence my comment of how you answer this question and my experience
 

Hello,

Thanks for bringing this up. It's always good to discuss this stuff.
Some folk do get stressed when renewal time comes with these forms.

Lol I get no advisories on my 52 plate van come MOT time.

But as soon as a DIAB1 form drops through the door..
 
The problem with things like this unless you actually experience the issues you get complacent when filling forms in without realising what the outcome could be should you find that you ticked the wrong
 
Banacheque said:
The problem with things like this unless you actually experience the issues you get complacent when filling forms in without realising what the outcome could be should you find that you ticked the wrong
Click to expand...

We've had members on here tick the wrong boxes or misunderstand what a "severe hypo" is?
It's all about understanding & dealing with "bureaucracy" thus ticking the right boxes... Thus staying the right side of the legislation.
 
I was hopefully trying to inform members of issues that can become (under the Radar) by making member especially about the glasses
 
Hi. Be aware that I think the form/DVLA says if you have MORE than 2 hypos in the last year that needed assistance from another person then you may be blocked from driving. The need to test before and after driving has been a requirement for several years but the DVLA recently re-worded (and relaxed) the period to test before driving. Police have the right to check any meters you have in addition to testing on the spot as they do for drugs.
 
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