DVLA warns drivers suffering from common condition | Tech News

The DVLA has revealed motorists suffering from a common medical condition might need to “stop driving now”. In the DVLA’s newest November 2025 ‘assessing fitness to drive’ report, officers warn motorists suffering from diabetes may very well be at risk. It is believed there are round 600,000 people with recognized diabetes within the UK who’ve driving licences, that means hundreds may very well be affected. 

According to the DVLA report, solely these suffering from diabetes and hypoglycaemia are solely thought of to have “adequate awareness” if they can recognise signs in time to soundly stop the vehicle. Car drivers unable to recognise when their glucose stage is low or beginning to fall, or with a complete absence of warning signs, are thought of to have “impaired awareness”.

The DVLA has additionally issued a warning to these people who depend on glucose monitoring systems to trace their blood sugar ranges.

The report explains: “The alarms on glucose monitoring devices should supplement, not replace the individual’s own awareness and active self-monitoring practices. They should be set at appropriate levels of above 4.0mmol/L while driving. If a driver becomes dependent on these alarms to recognise low glucose, they must stop driving and notify DVLA.”

Those suffering from low blood sugar can expertise a number of signs, resembling blurry imaginative and prescient, confusion, or shakiness. In extreme circumstances, drivers can turn out to be incapacitated or unconscious which is a critical risk for these in control of a vehicle. 

According to the DVLA, glucose testing should happen firstly of the primary journey. Motorists ought to then make sure to check their ranges a minimum of each 2 hours during the journey. 

The DVLA additionally added that a most of two hours ought to go between the pre-driving glucose check and the primary examine carried out as soon as the journey has began. 

The DVLA report additionally admitted that standards have to be met for the DVLA to situation a licence to an particular person suffering from insulin-treated diabetes for 1, 2 or 3 years.

As properly as having “adequate awareness”, motorists should not have skilled 2 or more episodes of extreme hypoglycaemia whereas awake within the previous 12 months.

Individuals should additionally practise “appropriate glucose monitoring” and can’t be thought to be a “likely risk to the public while driving”.