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Maintaining good physical and mental health is one of the most important things anybody can do in life. Health affects nearly every activity done on a daily basis, from going to work to when you drive a car. If any part of your health is lacking, you can find yourself struggling to do even the most routine things behind the wheel.
We take for granted the amount of focus and skill it takes to safely operate a motor vehicle. When a person is compromised by their health, accidents can and will occur. But what type of health problems will cause this type of poor outcome when driving? It doesn’t have to be a huge issue like a heart attack. Even cramping can be a disastrous issue.
Having a health problem can also cause a financial fallout in other areas of your driving experience. Even the car insurance of epilepsy sufferers can suffer if you don’t have your seizures under control. We’ll talk about these types of conditions and several others to see how you should manage your health before getting your driver’s license.
#1 – Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes are both chronic illnesses in which the person living with the condition has trouble managing their blood sugar levels without medical intervention. The pancreas is not processing glucose normally, which means patients must take oral solutions or insulin shots to bring their sugars to a healthy range.
Because of the massive swings in blood sugar levels when you take too much insulin or too little, two of the major byproducts of diabetes are hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. The latter condition is especially difficult if you are driving a motor vehicle.
Hypoglycemia is a state in which a person’s blood sugar has dipped too low. This can result in sweating, shaking, and even passing out. If you are experimenting with a new insulin regimen, talk to your doctor about how this could affect your driving. How much of a risk is the new regime to the possibility of going into a hypoglycemic attack?
Diabetes patients who are insulin dependent and at risk of hypoglycemia should always check their blood sugar right before driving. Keep a small snack that is high in sugar or carbohydrates close by while driving to help curb a hypoglycemic attack. Anything from a small carton of juice to a little package of Skittles should do the trick.
Long-Term Diabetes Complications
Diabetes has a myriad of other long-term effects on the body if not treated properly. These are also damaging to someone’s ability to drive a car. Diabetic neuropathy is a condition in which high blood sugars have damaged the nerves in the extremities of the body for many years.
If you let it go long enough, amputation of the limbs is a possible complication, forcing you to use assistive devices. It’s also difficult to drive if you’re experiencing numbness or tingling in your extremities, a precursor to diabetic neuropathy. Talk to your medical provider about how to drive and manage your symptoms.
Diabetes is a devastating disease, but it can be managed with lifestyle changes and medicine. You can get back to driving quite easily if you are prompt in your attention to your illness.
#2 – Cramping
This seems like a minor condition, but cramping can really turn a typical day behind-the-wheel haywire. Muscle cramps typically occur when you are dehydrated or you have overexerted yourself while exercising. If you’re driving back from the gym, be aware of the risk of getting a cramp. You may lose control of your vehicle and cause a horrible accident.
Leave some extra fluids in the car with you if you know you are prone to cramps. Also, be prepared for cramps after putting in a lot of physical work. Stretching out before and after exercise can be a helpful addition to your recovery from constant cramping. Talk to your doctor about some at-home remedies if you suffer from this condition.
#3 – Pregnancy
Being pregnant requires a woman to be completely in tune with all of the side effects and reactions to carrying a baby. The body does some drastic things sometimes, many of which can make it hard to drive a car or truck.
Nausea, vomiting, cramping, and dizziness are all common health conditions that come and go on throughout a pregnancy period. Driving while feeling under the weather from any of these things is a bad decision. Pregnant women should talk to their doctor about managing their symptoms, and they should arrange for another driver if it is necessary.
Giving birth is not the end of side effects for mothers, though. Many new mothers suffer from postpartum depression. The mood swings and anxiety that set in during this period can make someone apathetic on the road. Their decision-making won’t be as good, resulting in possible accidents that could hurt the new mother and other drivers around her.
#4 – Epilepsy
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders that affect a person’s ability to drive. The condition affects one out of every 26 people at some point in their life, and random seizures are the main manifestation of the condition. Having a seizure makes it impossible to drive a car safely.
You can still get your driver’s license and insurance if you can prove that you have gone a certain amount of time without having a seizure. If you do have a seizure behind the wheel, your insurance company is going to raise its rates for your premiums.
They may even drop your coverage at the renewal period if you are struggling with seizures, forcing you to switch car insurance carriers.
Talk to your doctor about what medicines can help control your seizures so you can perform typical daily activities like driving. If you get a doctor’s approval, many insurance companies will trust that you’re safe to get behind the wheel with epilepsy.
Everyone wants the freedom of driving a car. It almost seems unfair when a health condition prevents normal driving habits, but there’s no reason to give up. Seeking the proper treatment for any of these conditions is a great starting point. Accepting that you may need to drive in moderation or find other accommodations is another important step forward.
Getting a ride to work from an Uber or even a coworker is a lot better than hurting yourself or others because you want to drive on your own. Don’t risk lives because of stubbornness.
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Shawn Laib writes and researches for the car insurance comparison site, CarInsuranceCompanies.net. He wants to help people who have health issues to live happier, healthier lives doing the things they enjoy.
This content is brought to you by Anne Davis
Photo by Jaromír Kavan on Unsplash