News Release Page Title

15 August 2001

GOOD NEWS FOR NORTHERN IRELAND’S DIABETIC DRIVERS

Diabetics being treated with insulin will now find it easier to get licenses to drive large vans and small lorries.

New Regulations, which will take effect on 20 August 2001, will benefit people with insulin treated diabetes who want to drive large vans or small lorries (category Cl vehicles) between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes.

The Regulations introduce changes that will allow Cl applicants to be assessed individually. A satisfactory annual check-up and evidence of good diabetic control will be the main qualifying conditions. Previously these drivers could only drive large vans or small lorries in ‘very exceptional circumstances’.

DVLNI will issue information packs to those drivers who feel they will be able to benefit from the changes.

Commenting on the new arrangements, Sam Foster, Minister of the Environment said:

"This is good news for drivers with insulin treated diabetes. The new regulations are now much more flexible, giving diabetics more driving options on the roads. The regulations will also meet the concerns of the House of

Commons Select Committee who considered that the previous arrangements were too inflexible. Now applicants will benefit from having their suitability to drive large vans and small lorries assessed on an individual basis".

The changes were agreed with the Environment Committee on 21 June 2001.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. The new Regulations will take effect on 20 August 2001. The present arrangements, stemming from the second European Council Directive on the Driving Licence, allow drivers with insulin treated diabetes to retain their Cl entitlement (vehicles between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes) only in certain "very exceptional cases."

  2. The current conditions include the requirement to have held a Cl licence before 1 January 1997, to have notified DVLNI of their condition before 1 January 1998 and to have had recent and adequate experience of driving Cl type vehicles for employment purposes whilst taking insulin. These will now be removed.

  3. In line with the recommendations made by the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee in their March 2000 report concerning diabetes and driving, the GB Medical Advisory Panel reviewed its previous advice on what constituted a "very exceptional case". They recommended that those with good diabetic control and no significant complications could be individually assessed for Cl entitlement. In addition it was recommended that the requirement to be employed to drive Cl vehicles and the various qualifying dates should be removed.

  4. Those with insulin treated diabetes remain unable to drive larger lorries and buses. The Advisory Panel felt unable to recommend changes for drivers of these vehicles in advance of the outcome of the recently initiated research project in GB which is looking at the risk of hypoglycaemia (loss of awareness due to low blood sugar) to driving. The results of the research are expected in two to three years.

  5. For further information please contact Philip Maguire, DOE Press Office, Tel 028 9054 0013.