8.7% of the Spanish population between 20 and 79 years old is diabetic, as confirmed by data from “The Diabetes Atlas” published by the International Diabetes Federation. It is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas organ is not able to produce insulin, the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar, or when the body cannot generate enough of it or make effective use of it. This is how types I and II arise, respectively. And what does this have to do with driving? The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) warns that people with certain pathologies, such as diabetes, have a greater risk of suffering an accident.
The DGT warns that there are different scenarios that can occur due to diabetes and that put the safety of the driver himself and other road users at risk. These are alterations in vision, neuropathic alterations and hypoglycemia. For this reason, they propose a series of recommendations to exercise extreme caution while driving.
The DGT affirms that people with type I diabetes have a higher risk of accident than cases of diabetes II. Although these warnings are advisable for both.
In the event that a driver finds himself in the situation of suffering severe hypoglycemia while behind the wheel, it is essential to know how to act. The DGT advises stopping as soon as possible, following the basic safety rules as far as possible, and in a place that is safe for both the driver himself and other road users. Next, it is recommended to consume a preparation rich in glucose or carbohydrates. It is important to ensure that the condition has improved before resuming driving. To do this, the blood glucose level will be checked and, after about 15 minutes, it will be checked a second time.
