In today's world many of us are dependent on our cars for getting around.
Partly it's because of our enduring love affair with the car, but for some, particularly in rural areas, it's the only form of transport.
So what are the implications for your driving future after being diagnosed with diabetes? Driving yourself is not normally a problem.
Like the disease itself, there are various stages.
Diabetes Controlled by Diet and Oral Medication.
When you are first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, your doctor will probably prescribe oral drugs and a change of diet.
At this stage your driving license should be unaffected.
However, it is a legal requirement that you inform your insurance company.
You also have to inform the DVLA.
If your diabetes is being treated with diet only (no tablets or insulin), you do not have to inform DVLA, but you still have to inform your insurers.
If you do not inform your insurers of your diabetes, your insurance is legally invalid.
If you are treating your diabetes with tablets and diet only, (ie no insulin) the DVLA will make no changes to your driving licence.
However, you must inform them of any changes to your condition over time.
Diabetes Controlled by Insulin.
If your medical team decides that you need to use insulin for diabetic control you must inform the DVLA of this.
DVLA will then send a form called "Diabetic 1" and asks for more information together with your doctor's details and a consent form allowing them to contact your doctor to ensure that you are safe to drive in their opinion.
You also have to meet certain standards as regards eyesight.
Based on this information, DVLA then issue a restricted licence for 1,2 or 3 years.
This is a full licence.
However, there are certain restrictions regarding HGV and PSV (now called LGV and PCV respectively).
If your diabetes is being treated with oral medication and diet then you can still retain your LGV and PCV entitlement, although there are a number of forms that have to be filled in first.
Once you re being treated with insulin, then generally you have to give up your LGV and PCV entitlement and you are effectively banned from driving such vehicles.
You should also stop driving these types of vehicles immediately on being prescribed insulin, whether DVLA has been advised or not.
It is not impossible to regain your LGV and PCV entitlement, but the criteria are stringent and costly in both time and money.
As a diabetic, one needs to take extra precautions when driving.
If you have an accident when driving you need to be able to prove that you were not hypoglycaemic.
Always check your blood sugar before driving.
If it's going to be a long trip check it every two hours.
At the same time have a snack.
Do not drink and drive - although this may seem obvious, the point here is not to drink alcohol at all before driving as this lowers your blood sugar, making you more vulnerable to hypos.
The problem with a hypo is that it can make you look as if you are drunk, and if your breath smells of alcohol this could be a problem.
You should also have an emergency pack in your car - glucose tablets or other types of carbohydrate.
If you do feel you are becoming hypoglycaemic when driving, stop and take the necessary steps to recover.
Do not drive until fully recovered.
When you stop it's very important that you remove the keys from the ignition and move into a passenger seat as you otherwise risk being charged with driving under the influence of drugs (insulin).
If you have a hypo when driving, you should inform the DVLA.
Partly it's because of our enduring love affair with the car, but for some, particularly in rural areas, it's the only form of transport.
So what are the implications for your driving future after being diagnosed with diabetes? Driving yourself is not normally a problem.
Like the disease itself, there are various stages.
Diabetes Controlled by Diet and Oral Medication.
When you are first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, your doctor will probably prescribe oral drugs and a change of diet.
At this stage your driving license should be unaffected.
However, it is a legal requirement that you inform your insurance company.
You also have to inform the DVLA.
If your diabetes is being treated with diet only (no tablets or insulin), you do not have to inform DVLA, but you still have to inform your insurers.
If you do not inform your insurers of your diabetes, your insurance is legally invalid.
If you are treating your diabetes with tablets and diet only, (ie no insulin) the DVLA will make no changes to your driving licence.
However, you must inform them of any changes to your condition over time.
Diabetes Controlled by Insulin.
If your medical team decides that you need to use insulin for diabetic control you must inform the DVLA of this.
DVLA will then send a form called "Diabetic 1" and asks for more information together with your doctor's details and a consent form allowing them to contact your doctor to ensure that you are safe to drive in their opinion.
You also have to meet certain standards as regards eyesight.
Based on this information, DVLA then issue a restricted licence for 1,2 or 3 years.
This is a full licence.
However, there are certain restrictions regarding HGV and PSV (now called LGV and PCV respectively).
If your diabetes is being treated with oral medication and diet then you can still retain your LGV and PCV entitlement, although there are a number of forms that have to be filled in first.
Once you re being treated with insulin, then generally you have to give up your LGV and PCV entitlement and you are effectively banned from driving such vehicles.
You should also stop driving these types of vehicles immediately on being prescribed insulin, whether DVLA has been advised or not.
It is not impossible to regain your LGV and PCV entitlement, but the criteria are stringent and costly in both time and money.
As a diabetic, one needs to take extra precautions when driving.
If you have an accident when driving you need to be able to prove that you were not hypoglycaemic.
Always check your blood sugar before driving.
If it's going to be a long trip check it every two hours.
At the same time have a snack.
Do not drink and drive - although this may seem obvious, the point here is not to drink alcohol at all before driving as this lowers your blood sugar, making you more vulnerable to hypos.
The problem with a hypo is that it can make you look as if you are drunk, and if your breath smells of alcohol this could be a problem.
You should also have an emergency pack in your car - glucose tablets or other types of carbohydrate.
If you do feel you are becoming hypoglycaemic when driving, stop and take the necessary steps to recover.
Do not drive until fully recovered.
When you stop it's very important that you remove the keys from the ignition and move into a passenger seat as you otherwise risk being charged with driving under the influence of drugs (insulin).
If you have a hypo when driving, you should inform the DVLA.