2010 BC Guide in Determining Fitness to Drive

Conditions Cont’dRestrictionsRe-assessmentguidelinesPolicy rationaleany progression in your condition or development of chroniccomplications does not go unattended you must report to OSMV and your physician if you have anepisode of severe hypoglycemia or hypoglycemia unawareness when on long drives, you must test your blood glucoseconcentration immediately before driving and approximately every4 hours while driving, and have a source of readily available,rapidly absorbable glucose you must not drive when your glucose level is below 4.0 mmol/L you must not begin to drive when your glucose level is between 4.0and 5.0 mmol/L unless you first take prophylactic carbohydratetreatment you must stop driving and treat yourself immediately ifhypoglycemia is identified or suspected, and you must not drive until at least 45 minutes after effectivetreatment if your blood glucose is between 2.5 and 4.0 mmol/L.No restrictions are required.If blood glucose levels and treatment are not stable, OSMV will reassessannually until levels and treatment are stable. If blood glucoselevels and treatment are stable, OSMV will re-assess every five years,or in accordance with the schedule for age-related re-assessment.Drivers with diabetes who are treated with insulin therapy are at riskfor hypoglycemia. In addition to the conditions regarding how toavoid severe hypoglycemia while driving that apply to drivers treatedwith insulin secretagogues, there are additional conditions forchecking and monitoring blood glucose. These conditions are basedon guidelines published by the Canadian Diabetes Association.The rationale for the requirement to report to OSMV if theyexperience severe hypoglycemia or hypoglycemia unawareness is toensure that drivers who are at increased risk meet the more stringentdriver fitness guidelines and conditions for driving associated withsevere hypoglycemia or hypoglycemia unawareness.94