Researchers from Virginia reported at the recent annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association that people with type 1 diabetes were involved in about twice as many auto accidents as their spouses (who did not have diabetes). Although not all studies on this subject have agreed with this result, it is clear that low blood sugar can impair a person's ability to drive an automobile safely.

People with diabetes should test their blood glucose before driving and should not drive if blood sugar is less than 80. It may be appropriate to eat a snack before driving to minimize the risk of hypoglycemia. Test blood sugar at regular intervals on long car trips. Cox suggests spreading your insulin intake over the day to pre-empt sudden dips in blood sugar and thereby reduce driving risks.

Related information: Glucose control | Hypoglycemia