EU Directive - Million Drivers face losing their licence.

Hi novorapidboi26,

At that time I was pre dafne, and be tottaly honest had been running high bgs for years, so had totally forgot about hypo awareness and the shock a hypo causes to us and others. I new in my heart that I did not need hospital treatment, but with the confusion that low bgs can cause, and my partner scared it was quite difficult to convince all that I would be ok. Dafne has given me the power and tools to be more in control now though.

I heard the report on "You and Yours" on Radio 4 today. I was appalled. I am still struggling to get within targets and most of the time I am too high. That means very few hypos and no unpredictable ones. Just as well, by the sound of it. Where I live public transport is almost non-existent: I would not be able to get to work (or do it) without a car, I would not get to most of my medical appointments and I would effectively be stuck in my village or restricted to cycling distance - not very far as I am in my late 50's. Worst of all, I am a folk dance musician. I would lose this and all of my musical activities as there is nothing locally. I am swinging between panic and despair. I was told by Diabetes UK (I got straight on the phone) that there is an online petition that someone has started. Does anyone know how to find it? What can we do? Looking at things like the health bill currently going through parliament I have no faith in the government using common sense or even mild thought. I thought the knee-jerk ban on minibus-driving regardless of one's driving history was bad enough.

Re the petition, can anyone help?

Thanks

Diane

DianeH said:
Re the petition, can anyone help?

Diane

Diabetes and driving

Responsible department: Department for Transport

We wish the government to urgently re-examine the EU directive which leads to drivers with diabetes being stripped of their licences if they suffer two hypos in a year, even whilst asleep in bed. We ask them to consider the large number of safe and careful drivers with diabetes who, whilst suffering occasional hypos in their sleep, afford no risk in their waking hours on the roads. These drivers will lose their independence and even their work as a result of implementation of this directive.

Couple more links which may be of interest. The DVLA document which has prompted all the comments can be found at http://www.dft.gov.uk/dvla/~/media/pdf/consultations/Proposals to amend Driving Licence Standards.ashx. NB. It's a PDF document.

The original EU guidance is here: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/behavior/doc/diabetes_and_driving_in_europe_final_1_en.pdf

Hi all, what we all have to remember is that we have to be sensible if we are going to drive. Its often people who take risks that muddy the water for everybody else, so dont give the policy makers the chance to change things unless its positively. Make sure you do a BG before you get in the car then that way if you are stopped for any reason whatsoever, the proof is in the meter that you were fit to drive and you checked first. at the end of the day if you are prone to hypo, and you cannot recognise the signs of your hypo, you shouldnt be driving anyway and if you are driving and feel that you are going into a hypo, you stop and check. If you are, you take the keys out of the ignition to show you are not in control of the car, move over to the passenger side and deal with the hypo and wait at least 45 mins before you start driving again. Your hypo treatments should always be in the car. If the DVLA/LAW is changing then something must have happened to make them look at the law again. If you are managing your diabetes properly, using DAFNE for example, then your bloods should be stable enough without any need to change the QA ratios or BI you have in place because your BI should be maintaining your levels appropriately.