Precautions Urged for Drivers With Diabetes

[Northerner]

Dan Fried, a 47-year-old videographer who has Type 1 diabetes, never made it to the diner to meet his brother. As he drove through New Jersey that night in November 2010, he said his blood sugar fell and he became disoriented. He pulled his van to the side of the road, where state troopers, who had received a call about an erratic driver, found him slumped behind the wheel, barely coherent.

Believing Mr. Fried to be intoxicated and seemingly uncooperative, the troopers tried to frisk and handcuff him. In the scuffle, he broke his wrist. He was wearing a bracelet that identified him as a diabetic.

?I was very upset at the whole thing,? he said in an interview. Mr. Fried filed a lawsuit alleging civil rights violations. The state attorney general declined to comment on pending litigation.

Sudden bouts of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can lead to confusion, delayed reaction, visual disturbances or loss of consciousness. Even in the absence of low blood sugar, people with diabetes may have impaired vision or nerve function in the feet, which can affect driving.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/28/precautions-urged-for-drivers-with-diabetes/

Eh? Have they only just realised that sulfs can cause hypos? Are there NO rules in the US about testing before driving? Astonishing! 😱

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I got the impression from some forum members (USA forum) they have the right to drive no matter what condition they are in and it's the fault of everyone else except them if they have a road traffic accident due to a hypo.
Nope they do not seem to have any laws regarding testing before driving in the USA, and if they have again it doesn't appear to apply to the people that should be testing.

 

[Vicsetter]

Sudden bouts of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can lead to confusion, delayed reaction, visual disturbances or loss of consciousness. Even in the absence of low blood sugar, people with diabetes may have impaired vision or nerve function in the feet, which can affect driving.

Drinking has a similar effect and no-one has to test for alcohol in the blood; anywhere.

 

[Northerner]

Drinking has a similar effect and no-one has to test for alcohol in the blood; anywhere.

The thing is though, that you are likely to know if you have been drinking whereas you may not know what your blood sugar levels are unless you test 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Drinking has a similar effect and no-one has to test for alcohol in the blood; anywhere.

ROFL - France were bringing THAT in last year. They've delayed it and delayed it, now 'indefinitely'.

Ebay -

Non-change in French Law forces sale
- Two breathalyser kits in unused condition. Still in original packaging. One careful lady owner from new. Never raced or rallied. No service history.

 

[KateR]

I have a friend in the US who suffers from numb feet but still drives although she can't feel the pedals and thinks nothing of it.😱