Recently, there was a discussion on tudiabetes.com about driving while diabetic.  Evidently, some countries restrict diabetic drivers, especially those who use insulin.  While the title of the thread was a bit controversial, the spirit of the article was one that promoted personal responsibility.  

Some people use their diabetes as an “excuse” for a crash or other traffic offense.  This, frankly, pisses me off.  It’s this kind of irresponsibility that promotes the many misconceptions about diabetes.  It is casual comments like these that cause lawmakers to think that they must “protect” other drivers from the dangerous diabetics.  This is what leads to driving restrictions being imposed on diabetics.  It shouldn’t happen.

However, I have to wonder how many diabetics really take all necessary precautions before getting behind the wheel. Driving is something that I take very seriously for two reasons:

1. I’m married to a racecar driver.
2. I was involved in a pretty serious car accident almost two years ago.

My husband is an amazing driver.  Sometimes, it’s like he knows what his car is thinking.  He’s taught me (and many others) more about performance driving than I ever thought existed.  He’s helping me overcome my fears (from the aforementioned crash), and I’m so proud of all that he’s accomplished.

The crash I was involved in was, without a doubt, the worst thing that has ever happened to me.  But, the first thought I had after coming out of the post-crash daze was “where is my blood sugar – am I low?”  I wasn’t, but that’s only because I’m very proactive when it comes to driving and diabetes.

Before I start my car, I have a little mental checklist that I follow:  I take the juicebox out of my purse, check the DexCom, and, if I’m not confident of its accuracy, I test.  If I’m low (or dropping quickly), I drink the juicebox.  I never drive if I don’t have fast-acting glucose on hand.  EVER.  I’ve gone low when driving, and let me tell you, it’s a scary thing.  I’ve had to pull over on a busy interstate and chug juice (or eat glucose tabs) just to keep from passing out.  It sucks and I hate it.  But, it would suck a lot more if I wasn’t so prepared.   

It’s part of being a diabetic.  It’s my responsibility and I take it very seriously.