Diabetes and Driving - Significant Deficits in Knowledge and Practice

Abstract

Motor vehicle drivers who are diabetic and health care professionals who care for them, lack awareness of regulations pertaining to safe driving. We aim to assess their knowledge, practice, and adherence to recommendations in this study of diabetics who drive while taking hypoglycaemic agents. Methods: We recruited 185 subjects from our secondary care diabetes clinic, and obtained details about demographic characteristics, medications, blood glucose monitoring, hypoglycaemia and knowledge of current regulations. Results: The majority were males (72.5%) and their median age was 60 years. 92.4% of subjects were on hypoglycaemic agents (109 on insulin and 62 on sulphonylureas alone or in combination). Of the subjects on hypoglycaemic agents - (a) 87% regularly monitored blood glucose - 60% of them did so twice/day or more; (b) 66.5% had been advised by health care professionals about driving regulations (77% of those on insulin); (c) 79% thought their knowledge was adequate about regulations and 21% requested more information (d) 55.4% reported hypoglycaemic awareness and (e) only 55.2% checked blood glucose before driving. Discussion: This study confirms deficits in knowledge and practice amongst both patients and healthcare professionals about diabetes and driving. Educating these groups appropriately should become a priority locally and nationally.