Dickson Welcomes Changes to Benefit Drivers with Diabetes

Alliance East Antrim MLA, Stewart Dickson, has welcomed confirmation that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVANI) will adopt new guidance this month to make driving less burdensome for diabetics.

Driving regulations state that people living with diabetes must check blood sugar levels before driving and every two hours during a long journey.

However, on the 1st January 2018, the law was broadened to allow the testing of 'interstitial fluid' as well. This meant other new forms of testing, like Flash GM and Continuous Glucose Monitoring technologies, could be considered for use for the purposes of testing when driving.

Unfortunately, for over a year diabetics could not use these technologies as the DVANI had not updated their corresponding guidance to match the change in legislation.

Mr Dickson commented: “As Chair of the All Party Group on Diabetes, I am disappointed that it has taken so long for drivers to be able to take advantage of the leaps forward in diabetes monitoring.

“Nonetheless, the DVANI has confirmed to me that it expects the changes in guidance to happen this month, and thus drivers will be able to use new technologies such as Flash GM and Continuous Glucose Monitoring in the very near future.”