DVLA query

[fionaw]

have just been prescribed insulin after being type 2 for ten years . Advised DVLA as instructed and have just received letter saying that they are changing my licence to three year one . Have never had hypo and just wondering if this is standard or should I appeal decision . Thanks

 

[grovesy]

Welcom.
From what I understand it standard when on Insulin to be put on a 3 year licence.

 

[Robin]

Yes, if you're on insulin, you just automatically get a three year licence. I've renewed mine twice since diagnosis, and it's never been a problem, just a nuisance to have to fill in the forms every three years.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

have just been prescribed insulin after being type 2 for ten years . Advised DVLA as instructed and have just received letter saying that they are changing my licence to three year one . Have never had hypo and just wondering if this is standard or should I appeal decision . Thanks

All insulin users are either 1 - 2 - 3 year licences. Do also check what categories have been removed as well. At some point in the future people on insulin are meant to get a 10 year licence. I suspect pigs might fly before that happens though.

 

[Vicsetter]

Make sure you fill in the forms correctly! You have no grounds for appeal, this is standard, I lost my C and D categories and motorbike as well, all I can drive is a car. Read up on the rules for testing while driving. Good luck with the insulin, don't forget that 2 assisted hypos and you loose your licence!

 

[Ditto]

I didn't know this. I must ask my sister what she has. I know she doesn't measure before journeys, or at all really. You're supposed to aren't you?

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I didn't know this. I must ask my sister what she has. I know she doesn't measure before journeys, or at all really. You're supposed to aren't you?

As far as I know it's a legal requirement to have tested within 2 hours of a journey start and every two hours whilst driving. (obviously not as you drive along)

 

[Ditto]

She won't listen to me. I might rat her out at the docs tomorrow. 🙂 Last time I mentioned my worrying about her, they had her in for a review which did some good. I'm just an interfering ol' besom, but sometimes needs must.

 

[Northerner]

She won't listen to me. I might rat her out at the docs tomorrow. 🙂 Last time I mentioned my worrying about her, they had her in for a review which did some good. I'm just an interfering ol' besom, but sometimes needs must.

If you're on insulin and not testing before driving you're not only putting yourself at risk, but other road users I'm afraid in my book it's as bad as drinking and driving

 

[Pumper_Sue]

She won't listen to me. I might rat her out at the docs tomorrow. 🙂 Last time I mentioned my worrying about her, they had her in for a review which did some good. I'm just an interfering ol' besom, but sometimes needs must.

Trouble is if she doesn't test before she drives her ins would be invalid so she not have a leg to stand on if involved in an accident. If she has an accident whilst hypo then she can be jailed for driving whilst under the influence of drugs.

 

[trophywench]

Trouble is if she doesn't test before she drives her ins would be invalid so she not have a leg to stand on if involved in an accident. If she has an accident whilst hypo then she can be jailed for driving whilst under the influence of drugs.

As indeed can any person on insulin this might happen to - so even if we really didn't care about mangling (or worse) someone else or their property or their car or ours - we do usually care about ME when push comes to shove. If someone really doesn't care about anyone else or even themselves to this extent then I'd be happy if they removed themselves from the gene pool.

 

[Austin Mini]

Its quite simple realy you get used to testing before you drive like putting a seatbelt on it becomes the norm.

 

[Lilian]

Yes, every three years you have to renew your licence if you have diabetes, unless it is controlled by diet alone. You have to fill in a form and if you have not needed any treatment within those three years, or hypos needing assistance of some kind, it is plain sailing. If you have had any eye problems or laser etc. they require you to have a sight test and/or field test. You have to go to the opticians they appoint and it does not matter that you might have been seen the day before by the hospital for a field test they still require you, within a given time, to go to their appointed optician.

 

[trophywench]

Only time that happened to me (wanted more info on my eyesight rather than hypos) they wanted my optician to test my visual acuity WITHOUT glasses, we were both gobsmacked by that - I've worn glasses for just 'seeing' for the last 30 years let alone driving! so he just complied, found his GMC registration card and filled the form in and I also had to go to the test centre and have a Driving Examiner confirm I could read a number plate at 30 yards. So there we were, standing in the road that goes past the Centre with the enormous wind up tape measure stretched out in front of us and traffic going past us in turns and I declined to read the one on the car he pointed out as X - I told him as it was MY car, I'd better read him a different one, I thought - even though it was no doubt a bit further away LOL.

Only time I've ever had the slightest trouble since I passed my test in 1986. Weird.

 

[Ditto]

Thanks for all this info peoples. I will tell my sister and no doubt they'll just think I'm nagging as usual, but I'll tell them all anyway.

 

[Northerner]

Thanks for all this info peoples. I will tell my sister and no doubt they'll just think I'm nagging as usual, but I'll tell them all anyway.

Be really firm about it @Ditto and make plain it's not acceptable! 🙂

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Thanks for all this info peoples. I will tell my sister and no doubt they'll just think I'm nagging as usual, but I'll tell them all anyway.

Your sister should have all the information as it's sent with each renewed licence. Obviously if none of regulations apply to her, then there's not a lot anyone can do about it

 

[Ditto]

She blanks everything and has been doing so for as long as she's had the D which is a very long time. I'm taking the laptop and will make them all read the posts. They'll see that I've been an interfering ol' biddy but needs must.

 

[mikeyB]

She can't be charged with driving under the influence of drugs, because insulin is not a proscribed substance - it's not a drug, for a start. But without testing before driving, the insurance as has been said, will be invalid. She would also be charged with driving otherwise than in accordance with a license (that's the condition of testing), and if she has a hypo and an accident, dangerous driving. Causing death by dangerous driving will get you 10 years inside. The DVLA will take away her licence, probably for good, whatever disqualification the court imposes (usually 3-5 years for dangerous driving, 3 is the statutory minimum, no appeal) and there is a compulsory retest - she would only be returned a provisional licence.

The charges would likely be different in Scotland, where only impairment is tested, not necessarily with alcohol or specific drugs, but the result would be the same.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

She can't be charged with driving under the influence of drugs, because insulin is not a proscribed substance - it's not a drug, for a start. But without testing before driving

People on insulin have been charged with being under the influence of drugs and jailed due to a hypo at the wheel where people have been injured. There's been loads of reports in the papers and on the net.