Legal Requirements and Safe Driving
- You must inform the DVLA and your insurance company you have been started on insulin.
- You should check your glucose less than 2 hours before the start of the first journey and every 2 hours after driving has started.
- A maximum of 2 hours should pass between the pre-driving glucose check and the first glucose check 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. It is your responsibility to make sure that you are safe to drive.
Glucose level Legal Requirement
Your glucose level must be above 5.0mmol/L to drive. If it is less you will need to have a snack and recheck your glucose level again.
If your glucose level is less than 4.0mmol/L or you feel hypoglycaemic, do not drive. You must appropriately treat your hypoglycaemia. You must wait for 45 minutes after you have successfully treated your hypoglycaemia before you drive.
You can find out more about hypoglycaemia and how to manage it, click the button below labelled ‘More about Hypoglycaemia.’
You can find out more about diabetes, safe driving and the DVLA by clicking the “Safe Driving and the DLVA’ button.
Appropriate glucose monitoring systems
All drivers must have a blood glucose meter and test strips available when driving.
· Group 1 drivers can use finger prick glucose testing and continuous glucose monitoring systems (Freestyle Libre, Dexcom, and Guardian 4 sensors) for the purposes of driving.
· Group 2 drivers must continue to use finger prick testing for the purposes of driving. Continuous Glucose Monitoring systems are not legally permitted for the purposes of Group 2 driving.
Hypoglycaemia occurs whilst driving
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. Check your blood glucose level and treat any hypoglycaemia. You should not start driving again until 45 minutes after finger prick glucose has returned to normal (at least 5.0mmol/L). It takes up to 45 minutes for the brain to recover fully.
Group 1 drivers (car and motorcycle)
You need to tell the 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 glucose).
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 the assistance of another person, even if this happened during sleep.
- You have any degree of impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia (difficulty in recognising the warning symptoms of low blood glucose).
All drivers (Group 1 and Group 2)
You must tell DVLA if:
- You suffer severe hypoglycaemia while driving.
- 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.
Hypoglycaemia occurs whilst driving
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. Check your blood glucose level and treat any hypoglycaemia. You should not start driving again until 45 minutes after finger prick glucose has returned to normal (at least 5.0mmol/L). It takes up to 45 minutes for the brain to recover fully.