Drivers License reveals

I just looked up Missouri’s rules and there are none unless you’ve had an incident already. Then you need to have something filled out by your doc. So… I’m currently OK.

All the answers are very interesting to me. The reason that SD is “considering it” is because we had a former governor/representative who was diabetic. He did a lot of promoting good health, diabetic programs, etc for us during his terms as gov. Then he got in a car, drove too fast, missed a stop sign and killed a motorcycle driver. He blamed it on his low sugars, and not eating all day. He killed the driver in the early afternoon. This should not have happened, and has tainted some people to diabetics driving…thus the consideration.

As far as bracelets and employers. I don’t get the idea of not telling people if they ask. But just wearing the bracelet is not, going to push you out of the running. Or maybe I am very naive.

I often wonder if EMT’s and officers check for the bracelets at an accident…the ones I have been in, didn’t seem to know mine was there…but then I was just the passenger.

In Ontario you must disclose on the licensing application and any renewal if you have diabetes, just like you need to answer yes or no, to do you wear corrective lenses.

On answering yes to the initial question, David was asked to fill out a supplemental questionnaire that really was overly generic and did not make a whole lot of sense as it was created more for additional info on epilepsy than diabetes, like when was your first attack, when was your last attack?

Nothing asked at all about hypo awareness or unawareness, therapy, etc.

Cheryl

Another of the wonderful things Bill Janklow did for us South Dakotans :wink:

Seriously? Maine does that? I had no idea, and as a fellow Mainer, I’m disappointed to hear that. I had thought that the traditional MYOB attitude of most Mainers would prevent that kind of Big-Brother-ism.

I was reading on a site that answered general questions about the DMV and medical conditions, and it said that most states don’t require a patient themselves reporting a condition, but they do require your doctor to report if you have any serious condition that could impair your abilities… with or without your consent. Thought that bit was interesting…

Seems a little harsh that every person with diabetes in the state should have to bear the brunt of your governor/representative’s poor self-care. Especially since plenty of people without diabetes could have had the same accident simply by being distracted, no low sugars involved - ever see that “be aware of motorcycles” public service announcement taken from the perspective of a driver who stops at a stop sign, looks left, looks right, takes another quick glance left and starts into the intersection - and is immediately walloped by a motorcycle that you can barely see coming in the camera frame? There’s a reason that PSA is effective - motorcycles are hard to see at the best of times, diabetes or no diabetes.

That seems to me like a better perspective - my dad had Parkinson’s and epilepsy, and he drove long after I thought he should hang it up. He had a couple of accidents before his doc finally backed up my mom in taking the keys away - he kept falling asleep at the wheel because the combo of meds he was on made him sleepy. Thank God he didn’t hurt anyone, not even himself (though Mom was pretty pissed about the damage to her Saab). I don’t think the mere presence of a chronic disease that could POTENTIALLY impair someone is sufficient to have it made an object of public record, but an objective assessment by a physician as to an individual’s level of function - that I could live with. I guess my problem with having diabetes noted on your license is that it makes the assumption that having diabetes = being impaired, which is a pretty serious blanket statement.

Yeah, I agree…

Here’s what the link said:

"Insulin and Your Driver License

Each state governs insulin differently. In California, for example, you do not have to report diabetes to the DMV, unless you are diagnosed as requiring insulin. Most states, however, don’t require notification until a medical incident occurs, something that would impair your driving and make you a danger to yourself and the other drivers on the road. Blackouts and seizures are two of the more commonly reported medical incidents.

Often, however, the decision is not up to you. Most states require physicians to report any type of “dangerous” medical condition to the DMV. Diabetes is generally not reported unless diabetic-related blackouts occur. Depending on your physician’s report and/or recommendation, the DMV may suspend your drivers license until you can demonstrate going blackout-free for a predetermined length of time. Depending on your state, the suspension can last anywhere from 6-12 months.

For the exact specifics regarding insulin in your state, contact either your physician or your DMV."

In Minnesota, anyone who takes insulin must state that. It doesn’t appear on the license, but the state will require a Doc to sign off on paperwork that you are health enough to drive, regularly. Some foreigners that I know choose not to disclose in order to avoid any complications with the state. If they bust you, they will revoke your license for 6 months.

The worst hang up is that our state computer systems haven’t been updated in 10 years and there are bugs and the state doesn’t always provide reliable notification that the paperwork is due (there are variable deadlines for that paperwork - could be 6 mo, 1 year, or 4 year deadline…depending). The repercussions for not submitting the paperwork are suspended license and jail time (which is even more dangerous for diabetics). The state promises they will fix it this year. We’ll see.

Minnesota’s DMV and public safety computer system bugs were supposed to be fixed by December. Still not working (which isn’t super surprising.) There are bugs that cause regular drivers license suspension for diabetics.

In California they ask you if you have diabetes, but I always answer no as it is none of their business. If you say yes they instantly suspend your license and make you meet with someone to get “cleared to drive” Utterly ridiculous. I can’t wait to leave this state.

In our state, the driver permit form has a section which must be filled out by a physician for everybody.
On here, it asks about many conditions. However the leading question in this regard (on the form) is if the condition would (in the opinion of the medical professional filling out the form) prevent control of a motor vehicle. About a dozen different conditions listed as well as a general OTHER where anything can be added.

Here, Heath Care Professionals are also legally required to report to the state anybody (at any time - not just at time of obtaining a license) who is diagnosed with a condition which could impair the ability to safely operate a vehicle. There clearly is a great deal of judgement on the part of the Medical Professional required. When such report is submitted to the state, an evaluation process by the state then takes place which could have a number of different outcomes.

Failure on the part of the Medical Personnel to report can result in significant legal ramifications (to the Doc) - obviously depending on the particular circumstance.

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So, what Tim35 is talking about is new to our recent software upgrade. There is also a mandatory, automatically generated report by responding police to the state if a car accident, during a diabetic episode, results in a over $1,000 in damages or bodily injury. The state will process the report and suspend a license as a result. Although diabetics are legally supposed to be notified, in both cases, this part of the system fails.

So, I saw an older man at the clinic the other week who had recently had a heart attack and was quite vulnerable as a result. Providers had mistakenly written that he was a diabetic on his medical report during his last visit. He received no notification and his license was spontaneously revoked. This is going to be very difficult for him to resolve. I felt much pity for him.

Also, be aware that there may be a legal responsibility to ‘report’ diagnosis or a car accident by ‘a person.’ But, it doesn’t say who. I have always wondered if ‘a person’ means the diabetic, an officer, or a nurse. I find it difficult to read/interpret the statue. There are some legal penalties so I have always been concerned about this law and what it means.

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/?id=7410.2610

Agreed. It could be more specific. However one of the paragraphs (from the provided link) uses the term “person” to quite specifically mean the driver in question. So for the purposes of 7410.2610 Subp 3, I would certainly take this to be about self-reporting where “person” in all instances (in this paragraph) refers to the driver themselves. The wording could be better. Quite easily, in Subp 2, the term “person” could be defined quite explicitly.

However, I do not see anything in here which imposes a legal requirement or liability on the part of a Medical Professional to proactively report anything.

Oh, OK. That’s helpful, Tim35. Thanks. Yesterday a woman at the DMV made me feel really bad when I asked questions, so I was kinda down. But, today I got stellar grades (much better than I feel I deserved) in my programming classes from last semester, so its all dancing and singing around the house. Tommy Tutone - 867-5309/Jenny - YouTube

Now, just need to figure out how to deal with the authorities. Sad Cat Diary - YouTube

Dealing with certain DMV employees is like dealing with Rick James. Google: charlie murphys true hollywood stories Rick James.

I think liability might be a very big problem if a diabetic using insulin does not disclose and then gets into a bad accident.

Ohio has a question, but I don’t remember if was specific to diabetes and/or insulin. My T1 daughter had to have her physician fill out a DMV form for her initial DL and each renewal. No idea if there is a connection, but she didn’t get a ticket when two patrolmen somehow stopped her when driving, hypo and completely out of it.

Massachusetts at least has a general question. The only medical form I found was designed for use after a problem, eg. accident or impaired driving. I had my physician fill out the form anyway before moving to Mass. The DMV folks didn’t seem to know what to do with the form, but took it anyway and issued my DL.

This page on the ADA website has information on various states
http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/know-your-rights/discrimination/drivers-licenses/drivers-license-laws-by-state.html?amounts=64509?referrer=https://www.google.com/

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Liability is always a big problem if anyone gets into a bad accident. What is new, is that the state/medical will disclose, instead of putting it on the diabetic to check that box on drivers license application.

It was probably related to insulin because they dont care as much about type IIs. She probably wont get a ticket, but she might get a letter from the state, if it happens again , particularly if there was an accident involving more than $1,000 in damage. So, if she had rear ended someone, you might expect a letter in the mail.

I mean, cool for your daughter I guess for getting away with it and for not hurting herself or anyone else in the process, but I think any diabetic found doing this should get some kind of ticket for impaired driving… and I say this is a T1 diabetic. Driving while that level of hypo is no less likely to kill someone than driving drunk. I hope at least you read her the riot act about it, for her own safety and for the safety of everyone else on the road.