Each day in Australia, over all age groups, there are on average tens of thousands of near misses, nearly 5000 crashesrequiring repairs, 85 people admitted to hospital because of a crash, and approximately 5 people are killed in crashes.
This means on average 35 people die each week, and around 595 are hospitalised.
For each one of these people hundreds of others are affected.
Governments will tell us that Speeding, Fatique, Drink Driving, and Illegal Drugs are the main reasons for these tragic figures, however what they don’t tell you is that these are only contributing factors in car crashes. Remember there are no car accidents just crashes because 99.9999 percent of car crashes could have been avoided.
Many crashes whether there has been a death or injury are caused because some people drive while suffering illnesses that could involve episodes that lead to either total blackouts or lack of control.
Diabetes is one of those diseases where the sufferer can have what is known as a HYPOGLYCAEMIC EPISODE.
Hypoglycaemia occurs mainly with people suffering type 1 diabetes (Which means they are insulin dependant). Episodes occur when blood sugar levels are too low. An episode may include dizziness, disorientation, even fainting or seizures. The effect of an episode while driving could be fatal.
There has been a lot of research done on Hypoglycaemia and its effects on driving, however the research conclusions are that Doctors need to warn their patients about the risks involved in driving with type 1 diabetes, and recommend an action plan if the sufferer feels an episode coming on.
In Queensland on application for a licence the applicant is asked if he or she suffers diabetes, if they answer yes they only require a certificate from a GP if they are on medication or are insulin dependant, there are no further requirements.
HYPODRIVE aims to tackle this problem head on, through education and public awareness programmes. Trained Driving Instructors will be able to work with and advise Diabetes sufferers during their learning experience and make young diabetes sufferers more aware of the risks and how to recognise and react to a hypoglycaemic episode while driving.
HPODRIVE will also lobby Governments to look at changing licencing rules to ensure that all diabetes sufferers have completed educational programmes before being allowed to drive a motor vehicle.
We need to stop the carnage on our roads and programmes like Hypodrive will go a long way to reduce our horrific crash stats.
Programmes like Hypodrive will only survive with the support of organisations like Lions. Brisbane Hellenic Lions supports Hypodrive and I now ask that we get behind Sharon and Hypodrive and remember the life we could be saving is yours or one of your family.
