Attitudes to driving among patients with diabetes mellitus in Punjab (ADD-Punjab study).

AIM: Currently there are no regulations regarding diabetes and driving licensing in India. The study was planned to gather information about attitudes to driving among patients with diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

Adult patients with diabetes mellitus holding a current valid driving license on treatment with insulin or secretagogue were interviewed using a validated structured questionnaire.

RESULTS

150 patients were interviewed with a mean age of 52 years, males (86%), insulin users (34%) and only secretagogue users (66%). 16 (10.6%) patients had severe hypoglycemia in the past year with 9.3% having hypoglycemic unawareness. Only 32% patients were aware of the relation between hypoglycemia and driving, 88.6% never checked glucose prior to driving and only 23% patients carried carbohydrates for treatment of hypoglycemia during driving. 25 (16.7%) of subjects had hypoglycemia during driving and in 6 (4%) this involved a traffic accident in the past one year.

CONCLUSIONS

Around 4% of patients on hypoglycemia causing treatment have a traffic accident/event every year. In the absence of regulations currently, focus should be on patient education. However, on the long-term appropriate regulations will make the roads safer for patients with diabetes.