Remember “Five to Drive”
Hypodrive is a National Award Winning educational awareness program and road safety initiative aimed at providing road safety education for individuals diagnosed with diabetes, in order to assist in motor vehicle accidents and fatalities on Australian roads, simultaneously promoting healthy lifestyles, a safe work environment and also creating awareness among all drivers.
Jet’s Law
You must carry a current Fitness to Drive Certificate with you at all times while driving.
You must notify Transport and Main Roads Dept about your medical condition.
Driving a motor vehicle is a complex task involving perception, appropriate judgement, adequate response time and reasonable physical capability. A range of medical conditions, as well as certain treatments, may impair any of these factors.
Although the extent to which medical conditions contribute to road crashes is difficult to assess, there is international recognition of, and community expectation that, medical standards for driving be established and applied. The medical standards for driving, recognised by all driver licensing authorities in Australia, are contained in the Assessing Fitness to Drive 2003 publication.
Driver licence holders have a mandatory requirement to report, any long term or permanent medical condition that may affect their ability to drive safely, to Queensland Transport. As soon as the condition develops, or as soon as there is an adverse change to an existing condition, you need to take steps to inform Queensland Transport.
Queensland Transport recommends that you should talk to your health professional about your medical condition and any potential impact this may have on your ability to drive safely. Health professionals are qualified to check if you are medically fit to drive. They may provide a medical certificate or official letter stating your fitness to drive.
you must carry a current medical certificate stating that you are medically fit to drive. You must show the certificate to a police officer when asked to do so. You must also comply with any conditions stated on the medical certificate.
Your doctor will decide how long your certificate will last by taking into account the nature of your medical condition and how often they need to monitor your progress. Your doctor might decide to give you a certificate that lasts for anywhere between one month and five years.
You might still be given a driver licence that lasts for five years, even though your medical certificate lasts for a shorter period. In this circumstance, you must get a new certificate confirming your medical fitness to drive when this earlier certificate expires. You will be fined if you are found driving when not holding a current medical certificate.
Fines apply for driving without holding a current medical certificate or driving outside the conditions of your licence.
if I do not carry the certificate or drive outside the limitations of the certificate?
You may be given an on the spot fine of $75 and incur one demerit point for failing to comply with a condition stated on a licence when driving. Alternatively, if a matter goes before a court, you may be fined up to $1500.
March 13th 2006
OMG…What have you done?
Mum we need you…..
My phone is ringing hot in my car numerous people are trying to find out where I am, as the store should have been opened an hour ago staff and customers anxiously waiting
I can see my daughter looking at me through a window “come on mum” she says “we love you” “we need you”.
6 weeks later I awake from my coma to find out that I was involved in a head on car crash while on my way to work.
A man driving another car, on his way to work, had a HYPO while driving and ignored his warning signs.
Who would ever have thought that the lack of understanding of diabetes could have ever caused so much trauma, heartache and financial burden on so many.
With only a 1% chance of survival, I defied the odds and went on to develop Hypodrive with the determination to prevent this from ever happening again.
Let’s Talk Diabetes And Driving
Diabetes is classified into 3 main types
- Type 1 – Hereditary
- Type 2 – Lifestyle
- Gestational Diabetes – Pregnancy
What type do you have?
Diabetes is a life-long physical condition where there is too much glucose (sugar) in the blood, due to defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or a combination of both these factors.
Diabetes is classified into 3 main types.
Type 1 Diabetes – there is no insulin available to unlock the glucose channels in the body’s cells as the beta cells in the pancreas (the insulin producing cells) have been destroyed by the body’s own immune system and in order to sustain life the individual is required to inject insulin for life.
Type 2 Diabetes – production of insulin still occurs. However, the body’s cells are resistant to the insulin produced and overtime the pancreas loses its ability to produce sufficient insulin. Obesity and inactivity contribute to insulin resistance.
Gestational Diabetes – occurs during the late stages of pregnancy when hormones affect the body’s ability to respond normally to insulin
Talk to Your Mates
Don’t assume that your friends know you have diabetes.
Talk to your teachers….
Show your friends how to treat your symptoms and what they need to do…..
They may save your life one day…..
YOU DO NOT WANT TO BECOME…..
A STATISTIC
Don’t assume that your friends know you have diabetes….
Do you openly talk to best mate about how you are feeling?
Don’t suffer in silence if your not well, don’t be afraid of your teacher, they are just the same species of animal just like you and me….they might jump up and down for a bit, but at the end of the day if your not feeling well, this is not about them…It’s all about you!
Show your friends how to treat your symptoms and what they need to do..They may save your life one day….
Before You Drive
- When did you last eat a meal or snack?
- When did you last have your medication?
- Have you filled out you Hypodrive Log Book?
- Do you FEEL safe to drive?
- What is your Blood Glucose Level?
- REMEMBER – FIVE to DRIVE……..
It’s BORING…..
Your best rings and asks if you want to pick him up and go down the coast….WooooHooooo…Let’s GO!!!
WAIT!
Ask yourself these questions before you say yes.
When did I last eat a meal or snack?
When did I last have my medication?
Do I feel WELL to drive?
What is my Blood Glucose Level?
Is it above Five to Drive?
Do I have my License, Medical certificate and logbook with me?
Got my keys, told mum and dad… I out of here….
Gona have some fun…
HYPO While Driving!
- Put Hazard lights on and pull off to the side of the road as soon as it is safe to do so.
- Turn your engine off and Remove keys from the ignition
- If possible check your BGL
- Eat 6-7 Jellybeans
- Wait 15mins if you are not feeling better have your drink.
- Wait another 15mins, then check you BGL
Sorry mate…..I’m not feeling too good…I will just pull over and make sure I am still ok to drive.
Better to be late than never….or dead on time….
Put your HAZARD lights on and pull off the road as soon as it is safe to do so.
Turn the engine off and remove the keys from the iginition..Give them to your mate or put them on the seat beside you.
Check your blood glucose level, if it is below 5 open your Hypokit and eat 6-7 jellybeans
Wait 15mins, have a chat to your mate while your waiting check your BGL again and if it is still low and your not feeling any better
Have your drink and wait another 15mins..then check you BGL again..
That could be half an hour, use this time to chat to your mate about Diabetes and explain to him whats going on and how to use you BGL meter..
Treating a Hypo While Driving
If your BGL’s have risen above 5 eat your biscuits from your HYPOKIT
Wait another 15mins before proceeding to drive
While you are waiting, fill in your Hypodrive Logbook and take note of the time and your symptoms.
IF YOU DO NOT FEEL WELL DO NOT DRIVE..
CALL 000
Once your BGL has risen and you are feeling better then eat your biscuits from the hypokit wait another 15mis, before your drive again. Take this time to fill out your Logbook and take note of the symptoms and time of the Hypo.
If you do not recover get your mate to call 000 or if you are on your own, call them if you are not recovering after the second dose of glucose, and follow your Personal Action Plan. The Ambo’s would much rather meet you on the side of the road like this than scapping you off the road….
HYPODRIVE HYPOKIT
All you need for your hypo first aid on the side of the road is found in this kit for only $5
All you need for treating a Hypo on the side of the road is found in this HypodriveHypokit for only $5…if you need to use it, ask your Diabetes Educator for another on or purchase it online at our website. Do not drive around with out having a Hypokit in your car
Hyperglycaemia (Hyper)
- DO NOT drive if your Blood Glucose Level is above 15….
- Driving while having a HYPER can lead to trouble too….
- SPEEDING
- ROAD RAGE
- DARE DEVIL BEHAVOUR
This can lead to trouble with the police or worse
Let me tell you a story about a young man who was going to Jail…
This is the 3rd time you have been picked up for speeding and road rage…
Do you think this is funny?
Showing off to your mates…what would happen if your tyre blew out or you lost control of your valued Skyline….
Would you be laughing if you ended up in Jail? Cause that’s where you are headed……I can’t let you risk killing someone or yourself….
I am giving one last chance. Get yourself down to the RSL next week and attend the ATTITUDE Workshop with the Qld Police if things don’t change your going to JAIL….
I met with this young man at the workshop, he seemed quite agitated and was showing signs of a Hypo…I sat and had a chat with him and he told me this is how he feels all the time….I asked him when did he last see a doctor?
He didn’t know probably when he last had his needles….
I asked him if this is what he is like when he was picked up by the police? He said “Yeh it is so what?”
I asked if we could check his sugar levels…they were 28….
He went to the Dr and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes…he has got it under control and has stayed out of Jail…
Having Diabetes is NOT a GET OUT OF JAIL card….
You are fully aware of your medical condition and the dangers associated with driving now and if you do something stupid on the road you will face the conciquenses of your actions…
Think Twice…..
