Know when it's time to give up driving

[Garry fotheringham]

Hi I wish the D.V.L.A would understand more about driving when someone is diabetic, it's not just your blood sugar or your eyesight that comes into consideration, it's when you start too loss sensation or feeling in your foot. I have up driving my car 3years ago, when I nearly had a fatal accident, you use your feet all the time for speeding up and slowing down, so if your not got much sensation in your feet it's not worth risking driving full stop. I really don't know much what the D.V.L.A has took that into consideration? But I would like anyone's opinion on the subject?

 

[EllieM]

Hi @Garry fotheringham and welcome to the DCUK forums.

That's an interesting question. I believe cars cane be modified to work with hand controls only, so I'm not sure that loss of sensation in your feet on its own is enough to deny a license, though I agree you shouldn't be using a non modified car.

And yes, you are supposed to tell the DVLA if you have peripheral neuropathy which affects your driving.

Peripheral neuropathy and driving

You must tell DVLA if you have peripheral neuropathy - download the correct form to let them know

www.gov.uk

I suspect a lot of people aren't aware of this : did your diabetic clinic say anything you to about driving when you lost sensation in your feet? You'd hope they would, but am guessing they didn't if you had to find out the hard way.

I'm very sorry this has happened to you but I think this is an excellent discussion topic which could save lives if it makes more people aware of the issue.