I will be applying for a California drivers license next week. I have a valid Hawaii license so Jimmy tells me that I will just have to take a written test, get my picture made and the driving test will be waived. He suggested that I not tell them I’m diabetic if they don’t ask. I guess this would be OK, if they don’t ask or if there isn’t a place on the application that asks.
If I need a doctor’s certification, my doctor is my dad, he is in Hawaii. I wonder if they will accept it from him. So I might have to get an endo here, he/she probably wouldn’t want to certify that I was safe to drive until they know my case and follows it for a while. Does all Type 1’s tell DMV they are diabetic?
There are legal issues you need to consider. In a nutshell, your insurance company takes the information provided to the DMV when assessing how much you pay for insurance and whether they will cover you or not. If you lie to the DMV, this information the insurance company will not have. The insurance company doesn’t mind if you leave this information out. They will cover you no problem and take your monthly premiums. But if you get into an accident, particularly a major one, they can refuse to cover you for not divulging this information (similar to not providing knowledge of pre-existing conditions for health insurance). In the end, you could be liable for all damages, for all parties involved, even if the accident wasn’t your fault.
I just got my license renewed in CA and had no issues (not sure if they look at T2 differently). when i renewed on-line, they asked about recent Dx and i was concerned to document my status. in the end, i got my license in the mail and not a word or request from the state of California.
On the CA application did they ask you about diabetes? If nobody asks me I wouldn’t be lying. If nothing is said, how would I know what I need to divulge? I’ll just have to apply and see what they ask and what questions are on the application.
I have never been asked about health conditions aside from vision when getting a driver’s license. I have held only held a licence in WI, IN, and NE. Do they really ask about these things sometimes??
They ask if you have been diagnosed with any disease that would cause confusion or unconciousness. They didn’t ask when I first moved here, but the question was on the renewal form. At the time I was seriously depressed and I just let my license go and got a CA ID. I don’t own a car and I have had very few occasions where I felt I needed to drive. Of course, if I go out of town, I’m screwed.
If they ask me that, I’ll have to tell them. If I can’t get my license, I won’t be able to get a car. I can’t go any place without getting my aunt to take me so I really need to drive.
The best guidance is follow the law and the guidance from the DMV (http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffdl40.htm). Read it and just follow it providing the “minimum” information required. If you suffer from hypos and have required assistance in the last 3-6 months for a hypo, then will need to disclose that. If you get reported as requiring assistance, then your license will come under review anyway. Just be honest, but don’t volunteer information unless you are required to disclose it.
After reading the link, It looks like I’m going to have a hard time. Less that a month ago I was helped by the police when I was having a hypo. About 3 months ago, I was helped by fellow students to get to the school clinic because I couldn’t get there on my own. I don’t feel hypos coming on until it is almost too late. If I wanted to ensure I never got a hypo, I would have to accept higher BG’s and my A1c would go back up over 7.0.
If I can never drive in CA, I can’t live here. I’ll have to go back home to Hawaii where I can drive. The way this area is, a person can’t live anywhere near a normal life without driving.
Have you considered continuous glucose monitoring? With it you get to see a hypo coming so you can better prevent them. Some insurance will pay if you are hypoglycemic unaware.
I’ve thought about it but I don’t even like my OmniPod on me all the time. I use it about half the time, the rest of the time I’m on MDI and unattached.
If that would help me get my license, I would wear the pump and CGM all the time.
I need to get my drivers license here soon as well, hmm hope it goes well
I would not rule out getting a license. I generally term assistance more an EMT call rather than someone just offering you a ride home. But I would encourage you to tighten up your control and in particular your personal practices related to hypos. From what I understand, both of the episodes you have had, you were still thinking properly, but you were “unprepared” to treat your hypo. You know that part of being able to be safe as a driver is making sure that you never endanger others though driving while hypo.
You may be able to improve your blood sugar control and get rid of pretty much all the bad hypos, but even better would be to demonstrate a track record of self identifying hypos and treating them yourself. Always “carry” something to treat your hypos and learn to identify a broader range of symptoms that suggest an oncoming hypo.
And don’t just give up. Never give up. You can do anything in this world. Just because someone wants to make sure you are safe driving, that doesn’t mean you can’t drive with certain accomodations.
I know that my thoughts on the subject are not the general consensus…but here they are. In SD there is no place to tell anyone about my diabetes, anymore than there would be a place to have a pregnant woman tell the DMV that she is preg. After all she could go into labor or have complications while she is driving. If you understand that driving is a responsibility and you are a responsible driver, then you won’t drive while you are not in control of your “D”. As I have said before, we had a former gov who neglected his “D” and had a low reaction, and ran into a motorcycle rider, killing him instantly. If any state were going to cause hardship for diabetics, it would be us. It’s a matter of your being in control of you, and being a safe and sensible driver as far as I am concerned. Now should this question come up on a SD license exam, I don’t know how I would react, it has been suggested by our legislature, and voted down soundly each and every year. It’s a matter of personal responsibility as far as I am concerned.
bsc - The DMV would not have any way of knowing about my hypo’s but if they asked me, I’d have to tell them the truth. I always carry my glucose tabs, the time with the Police I had the vial but it only had 1 tab left in it. When I got home I tore the paper wrapping off the vial so I could see inside the vial so it wouldn’t happen again. The time in school I took 4 glucose tabs and would have recovered on my own no problem but the instructor saw I was shaking and made me go to the clinic right then. I hadn’t recovered enough and needed help but I recovered soon after getting to the clinic.
When I was driving in Hawaii, I never even came close to having a hypo. I always was careful to check especially if I had done a bolus in the last 2 hours. I’m not going to give up, I’ll keep my appointment at DMV, if they don’t give my a license there’s nothing I can do about it but I will be disappointed.
I got my license today. I had an appointment and went to the first desk. They said to go to a window to take a written test. I did the test and turned it in, I almost failed, 1 more wrong and I’d have failed. Then I go my picture taken. Then to another window, she made me read an eye chart which was easy. Then I gave her my HI license and she gave me a temporary CA license. A permanent one with my picture will be in the mail.
All that worry for nothing, sometimes I think I’m my own worst enemy.