Driving is a serious responsibility, and people with diabetes may be susceptible to issues affecting their ability to safely operate motor vehicle. They are required to ensure that they are in good health, compliant with treatment, complication screening and diabetes follow-up to drive safely.

Issues which can affect the ability of people with diabetes to driving safely include:

• Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar). Drivers must ensure their blood glucose is over 5 mmol/L to drive and must have awareness of hypoglycaemia to drive safely. DON’T DRIVE UNDER FIVE!
• Poor vision
• Peripheral neuropathy (numbness in the feet) related to diabetes
• Untreated/ undertreated obstructive sleep apnoea, which can lead to fatigue, drowsiness and somnolence

Individuals with diabetes are legally responsible for self-reporting their diagnosis of diabetes to VicRoads/ their relevant drivers licence authority and undergoing relevant medical checks to ensure they can drive safely.

Private vehicle drivers treated by glucose- lowering agents other than insulin can generally drive without licence restriction but are generally required to have 5-yearly medical reviews with their GP.

Private vehicle drivers treated with insulin generally require yearly medical licensing reviews, with at least one month of blood glucose monitoring records.

Commercial/heavy vehicle drivers with diabetes require specialist endocrinologist reviews regarding fitness to drive, and this is required to be reviewed regularly (yearly generally, other than people treated with Metformin and diet alone, in which case your GP can review after initial review with an endocrinologist). For commercial drivers receiving insulin treatment, at least three months of blood glucose monitoring records should be reviewed in assessing fitness to drive.

Preparing for your Appointment 

To prepare for your driving assessment appointment please ensure you have the following documentation and bring these to your appointment:

• Referral from your GP
• Documentation from your driving licence authority (eg. VicRoads, RTA)
• 1-3 months of blood glucose monitoring records (at least 3 months required for commercial driving or heavy vehicle) or continuous glucose monitoring
• Recent optometry assessment (within 12 months)

There are strict legal requirements around the medical assessment of drivers with diabetes which can be reviewed here: https://austroads.gov.au/publications/assessing-fitness-to-drive/ap-g56/diabetes-mellitus/medical-standards-for-licensing-2.

Other links that may be helpful to understand your obligations as a driver with diabetes are:

https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/living-with-diabetes/driving

https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/living-with-diabetes/driving

References:

1. Austroads Assessing fitness to drive for commercial and private vehicles drivers. Medical standards licensing and clinical management guidelines. https://austroads.gov.au/publications/assessing-fitness-to-drive/ap-g56/diabetes-mellitus/medical-standards-for-licensing-2
2. https://www.ndss.com.au/living-with-diabetes/driving-and-travel/driving/
3. https://www.ndss.com.au/living-with-diabetes/driving-and-travel/driving/