Diabetic drivers should face tougher scrutiny, says coroner
Diabetic drivers should face tougher scrutiny when renewing licences, a coroner has suggested after two motorcyclists were killed in a collision with a driver experiencing a hypoglycemic episode.
Geoffrey Toase, 64, and Michael Midgley, 65, died after they were hit by a driver who had veered onto the wrong side of the road on a carriageway near York in August 2019.
Jessica Swift, assistant coroner for the city of Kingston Upon Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire, warned there should be a more rigorous process for assessing diabetic drivers' suitability to be on the road.
Writing to the DVLA, she questioned why their doctors were "not actively encouraged" to ask about an applicant's medical history and why information is generally 'accepted without question'.
She said current working practices "do not appear to allow" DVLA doctors to consider the "interplay between different medical conditions" and only catered for GP involvement to consist of a "tick box" exercise.
'A risk of future deaths'
At their inquest, it was heard Mr Toase and Mr Midgley were involved in a head-on collision with a car that was travelling in the other direction but "wholly" on the wrong side of the road.
The driver of the car had "a number of health-related conditions", including Type 1 diabetes which was controlled by insulin injections.
It was heard that at the time of the collision, the driver was "on the balance of probability, suffering a hypoglycaemic episode" which affected his driving.
Criminal proceedings were initially launched against the driver but the case was dropped last summer as he was not deemed fit enough to enter pleas.
Ms Swift has revealed "matters giving rise to concern" heard at the inquest that means there is "a risk that future deaths could occur".
The hearing was told diabetics who require insulin need to renew their licence every three years.
DVLA working practices
In a prevention of future deaths report, Ms Swift said a DVLA doctor who gave evidence at the inquest of Mr Toase and Mr Midgley said they felt "constrained" by the DVLA guidance, standards and working practices to which they are required to work.
Ms Swift added that the decisions made by DVLA doctors when considering to re-issue a licence are 'not subject to any form of audit procedure to ensure accuracy and consistency of decision-making'.
She wrote: "The DVLA does not generally seek further information from any identified Speciality Doctor that may be involved in an applicant's medical care and treatment; any requests for further information are usually directed to an applicant's GP.
"The forms sent to an applicant's GP by the DVLA for the purpose of obtaining further information are largely tick box in nature and do not provide sufficient scope for the GP to provide more detailed information and this therefore does not allow for a full assessment to be conducted by the reviewing DVLA Doctor.
"Current DVLA working practices do not appear to allow DVLA Doctors to consider the interplay between different medical conditions an applicant may be suffering with."
She continued: "There is no apparent system in place to verify the accuracy of the information provided by an applicant within their medical self-declaration and that this information is generally accepted by the DVLA without question."
Ms Swift reminded the DVLA it is under a duty to respond by October 7.
