Can people with diabetes drive cars?

  Today, the number of people with diabetes is increasing, and driving skills are a basic skill for the general public, and for most people with diabetes can drive safely and normally. However, the three factors that may affect diabetics while driving are: hypoglycemia, diabetic complications and hyperglycemia. And hypoglycemia is not noticeable when driving, which is a greater threat when driving. According to a survey by the U.S. Highway Traffic Safety Administration involving 68,770 people, those with diabetes (or other metabolic diseases) and whose driver’s licenses were not restricted were 1.44 times more likely to be involved in accidents than those involved in accidents due to negligence.  The risk factors are: 1. Diabetic eye disease can cause vision loss, and laser coagulation treatment means can also reduce peripheral vision.  2, peripheral neuropathy can also affect driving.  3, Cognitive dissonance may affect driving ability; its occurrence is associated with acute or possibly chronic hyperglycemic syndrome, tight glycemic control, and acute hypoglycemia.  4. Older diabetics are arguably a more dangerous group in fatal motor vehicle accidents; however, older women with diabetes are more inclined not to drive compared to older women without diabetes.  For type 1 diabetics, it is difficult to properly determine whether their blood sugar is too low or not; some studies have shown that with blood sugar at 2.2 mmol/L, approximately 38%-47% of diabetics will still continue to drive. Mild hypoglycemia (2.6mmol/L) leads to reduced driving ability (turning, spinning, crossing the median in time, leaving the road in time) and will take more slow driving.  At present, although there is no legislation in China for driving with diabetes, it is indeed closely related to our lives, so how can we cope with it?  1, in the car always have carbohydrate food (such as: bread, candy, etc.).  2. Have blood glucose self-testing equipment (such as blood glucose meter) in the car.  3.Consider taking blood glucose measurement before driving, especially for patients who are hypoglycemic and unconscious.  4.Stop driving once possible hypoglycemic symptoms are detected, and do not return to driving before ensuring that blood sugar levels are in the normal range.  5.When the blood sugar is lower than 4.0mmol/L, there is a possibility that the driving level will become worse.  6. Come to the hospital for regular medical checkups every year.