INF294

9/19

Drivers who have any form of

diabetes treated with any insulin

preparation must inform DVLA.

A guide to insulin

treated diabetes

and driving

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driving and this risk increases the longer you are on insulin

treatment. This may endanger your own life as well as

that of other road users. Many of the accidents caused by

hypoglycaemia are because drivers carry on driving even

though they get warning symptoms of hypoglycaemia.

If you get warning symptoms of hypoglycaemia whilst

driving you must stop safely as soon as possible – do not

ignore the warning symptoms.

Early symptoms of hypoglycaemia include sweating,

shakiness or trembling, feeling hungry, fast pulse or

Sleep hypoglycaemic episodes

If you have frequent sleep hypoglycaemic episodes, you

should discuss them with your doctor even though this is

unlikely to affect your application for a car or motorcycle

(Group 1) driving licence.

Drivers with insulin treated diabetes are advised

to take the following precautions

• You should always carry your glucose meter and

blood glucose strips with you, even if you use a real

time glucose monitoring system (RT-CGM) or flash

after driving has started.

• More frequent testing may be required if for any reason

there is a greater risk of hypoglycaemia for example

after physical activity or an altered meal routine.

• In each case if your glucose is 5.0mmol/L or less,

eat a snack. If it is less than 4.0mmol/L or you feel

hypoglycaemic do not drive.

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• Always keep an emergency supply of fast-acting

carbohydrate such as glucose tablets or sweets

within easy reach in the vehicle.

rest periods on long journeys. Always avoid alcohol.

Advice on managing hypoglycaemia or developing

hypoglycaemia at times relevant to driving

• In each case if your glucose is 5.0mmol/L or less,

eat a snack. If it is less than 4.0mmol/L or you feel

hypoglycaemic do not drive.

• If hypoglycaemia develops while driving stop the

vehicle safely as soon as possible.

• You should switch off the engine, remove the keys

from the ignition and move from the driver’s seat.

and the reading is 4.0mmol/L or below, you must stop

driving and confirm your finger prick glucose test reading.

• Your finger prick glucose level must be at least

5.0mmol/L before returning to driving.

Appropriate glucose monitoring systems

• Group 1 drivers may now use finger prick

glucose testing and continuous glucose

monitoring systems (FGM and RT-CGM) for the

purposes of driving.

• Group 2 drivers must continue to use finger prick

are required to check their finger prick glucose, users

of these systems must also have finger prick glucose

monitors and test strips available when driving.

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(Group 1) drivers about using RT-CGM and

FGM whilst driving

• If you have symptoms of hypoglycaemia.

• If your glucose monitoring system gives a reading that

is not consistent with your symptoms (that is you have

symptoms of hypoglycaemia and your system reading

does not indicate this).

hypoglycaemia. You must recognise hypoglycaemia

through the symptoms you experience for the

purposes of Group 1 driving. Should you become

reliant on these alarms to advise you that you are

hypoglycaemic you must stop driving and notify

the DVLA.

If you are using a glucose monitoring system (RT-CGM

or FGM) you must not actively use this whilst driving

your vehicle. You must pull over in a safe location before

checking your device.

You need to tell DVLA if:

• you have had more than one episode of severe

hypoglycaemia while awake (needing the assistance

of another person) within the last 12 months

• you develop impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia

(difficulty in recognising the warning symptoms of low

blood sugar).

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Group 2 drivers (bus and lorry)

You must stop driving Group 2 vehicles and tell

DVLA if:

• you have a single episode of hypoglycaemia requiring

• you or your medical team feel you are at high risk

of developing hypoglycaemia

• an existing medical condition gets worse or you

develop any other condition that may affect your

ability to drive safely.

Eyesight

All drivers are required by law to read in good daylight

(with glasses or corrective lenses if necessary) a car

number plate made after 1 September 2001 from a

distance of 20 metres. Also, the visual acuity (with the aid