Session 32 – Health and Driving

Many health problems can affect your driving: a bad cold, infection, or virus. Even little problems like a stiff neck, a cough or a sore leg can affect your driving. If you are not feeling well and need to go somewhere, let someone else drive.

Some health conditions can be very dangerous:

Epilepsy: As long as it is under medical control, epilepsy generally is not dangerous. In Wisconsin, you may drive if you are under the care of a doctor and have not had a seizure for three months.

Diabetes: Diabetics who take insulin should not drive when there is any chance of an insulin reaction, blackout, convulsion or shock. Such a situation could result from skipping a meal or snack, or from taking the wrong amount of insulin. It is also a good idea to have someone else drive for you during times when your doctor is adjusting your insulin dosage. If you have diabetes, you should also have your eyes checked regularly for possible night blindness or other vision problems.

Heart condition: People with heart diseases that can cause fainting or a heart attack should not get behind the wheel. If you are being treated by a doctor for a heart condition, ask if the condition could affect your ability to drive safely.

Emotions

Emotions can have a great effect on your ability to drive safely. You may not be able to drive well if you are overly worried, excited, afraid, angry or depressed.

If you are angry or excited, give yourself time to cool off. If necessary take a short walk, but stay off the road until you have calmed down. If you are worried, “down”, or upset about something, try to keep your mind on your driving. Some people find listening to the radio helps.

If you are impatient, give yourself extra time for your driving trip. Leave a few minutes early. If you have plenty of time, you will not tend to speed or do other things that can get you a traffic ticket or cause a crash. Don’t be impatient about waiting for a train to cross in front of you. Driving around lowered gates or trying to beat the train can be fatal.