Driving and Type 1 Diabetes

As you've probably heard, having good blood sugar control is extremely important when it comes to driving. You should always check your blood sugar levels before getting behind the wheel and carry extra snacks and supplies in your car. Many diabetes educators say that driving with a low blood sugar is the equivalent of driving drunk. In fact, if you get into an accident and it is determined that your type 1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes) was part of the cause, you can have your license taken away, maybe permanently.

On the other hand, many people with type 1 diabetes have learned to be very safe drivers. Regularly checking blood sugars, carrying extra snacks, and communicating with your parents and others around you are all keys to driving safely with type 1 diabetes.

A volunteer's personal experience

A physician recently wrote the following question about driving to the Online Diabetes Support Team.

Q. I take care of several juvenile diabetics and I have a question about a teenage patient of mine. His principal has asked (for) a letter stating that this child is safe to drive. I wanted to know if there is any standard letter for this that is legally safe to use.

A. Hello. I am a volunteer for the JDRF and the mother of a 25-year-old son who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes) at age 6. The Online Diabetes Support Team includes medical professionals and lawyers, but we are not authorized to give medical or legal advice. We do share our personal experience, though.

I do not believe there is any standard way to address your question. All states seem to have different regulations concerning drivers with type 1 diabetes. My son got his first driver's license in Maryland in 1996, and he needed a note from his doctor that was part of a review of a state medical board. We knew many other teens with juvenile diabetes; my son was the only one who got a letter every year (random selection, we supposed, as he never had any accidents or tickets) to submit an HbA1c number from his endocrinologist. I asked the head of the medical board why they did this to my son; he said that they wanted to make sure his HbA1c was low enough.

When we moved to New Jersey while my son was in college, he got a New Jersey license. The form did not ask if he had diabetes, just if he had any medical condition that would prevent him from driving. He asked if that included type 1 diabetes. He was told it was up to him to decide. He said "no."

After graduating from college, my son moved to Washington, DC. When he got a license there, the form asked if he had diabetes (any kind) and if so, he needed a note from his eye doctor that was written within three months of application.

So, my recommendation to you is to see what your state's requirement is concerning people with type 1 diabetes who drive, and consult an endocrinologist with a large teen type 1 diabetes practice in your state to see what he/she does in these situations. You may also wish to consult a lawyer with experience in the medical field.

As a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes, I urge you to experience what most of us find: When you are dealing with official type 1 issues (school 504 plans, camps, daycare, driving, insurance), you should seek other parents and professionals who have gone before you so you don't have to "reinvent the wheel." I found a group of parents through my local JDRF chapter many years ago to be the place to find those resources. If you would like a connection to your local JDRF, send me your contact information and I will have someone get in touch with you.

Regards,
Dorothy

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