Introduction & Objective: Diabetics may experience disorientation and cognitive impairment when their blood glucose levels fall below 4.0 mmol/L a condition known as hypoglycemia. Driving in such a state can be dangerous. MDs must be educated and inform patients to ensure their safety.

Methods: An anonymous questionnaire with 17 questions was sent to MDs from 2022 to February 2024. The survey was completed by 165 MDs. Results were analyzed using IBM SPSS 29.0.

Results: Of the respondents, 8.5% (n=14) were endocrinologists, 91.5% (n=151), internists or GPs. 16% (n=26) did not think diabetes mellitus (DM) is a risk for car accidents. Of those 84% (n=139) who believed that DM is a risk factor 66.9% (n=93) educated their DM patient about safe driving. 97% (n=160) believe that having frequent and severe hypoglycemia episodes makes driving unsafe, but 42% (n=67) of them had advised their DM patients not to drive. 89% (n=147) believed that not recognizing hypoglycemia is a contraindication for driving of whom 38.8% (n=57) recommended DM patients to measure their blood glucose levels before driving.

Conclusion: Less than half of the MDs educate their DM patients about safe driving. MDs must receive education on DM and safe driving to inform their patients properly.

Disclosure

K. Berzina: None. I. Rasa: None.

© 2024 by the American Diabetes Association
2024
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