T1D Living
Bam! And just like that we’re over the hump! I don’t know about you but Thursday’s (aka Friday-eve) might as well fall into the weekend category for me. Something about the anticipation of the weekend got me like…
Diabetic Driver Safety
Recently I’ve been seeing a lot of diabetic driving videos, where the driver is so low that she or he is swerving all over the road and ends up getting pulled over. Sometimes, and by sometimes I mean most of the time, the police (or bystanders) think the person is on drugs; not realizing the true urgency of the situation.
Which got me thinking…
If that diabetic driver was me, how fast would it take others to know I have type 1 diabetes? Sure, I wear a medical alert bracelet, but is that enough? Would the police think to look at my wrist for a medical alert ID if I was conscious? Probably not. Would bystanders who pulled over to my car know to look for a medical alert ID if I was conscious or not? Probably not. And that, my sweet friends, is a very big problem.
So I went to the Google machine in search of a solution.
Here is what I found
1. Diabetic Driver Decal
How perfect is this little decal? Easy to read and to the point. I personally LOVE the simplicity of design and it’s size. Just make sure to put it in a spot on your car that makes sense and would easily be seen. I found this decal on Etsy by Wasted Talent Designs.
2. Diabetic License Plate Frame
If you’re being pulled over by a cop they will definitely notice the frame when running your plate number, but for the EMT’s that arrive on scene or your typical good citizen coming to your rescue, they may not notice this. But nonetheless, still great to have for diabetic driver safety .
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find a good source that has these pre-made, so your best option would be to order a customizeable licence plate frame from places like cafe press or etsy.
3. Diabetic Seat Belt Cover
How great are these seat belt covers? I found these particular ones on Etsy as well, from the seller SewGoodbyDolores.
One Piece of Medical Alert Advice
One of my biggest concerns when it comes to medical alert swag is trying to make sure that it doesn’t look like medical awareness/support swag. Let me explain. When a paramedic looks at your wrist and sees a bracelet that has the words “type 1 diabetes” but it’s next to a breast cancer awareness ribbon and a pretty paw print medallion that says “save the dogs”, your type 1 diabetes alert is going to look more like support for type 1 diabetics rather than saying this is my medical condition.
Diabetic driver safety is not to be taken lightly and goes beyond checking your BG before you get behind the wheel. Stay safe out there my friends!
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I totally disagree! I do not want a label on my car branding me as a diabetic. I’ve always taken the responsibility of testing my BS before getting behind the wheel to drive the freeways. I also keep glucose tabs within arms reach.
Glad you are staying safe out there 🙂 I’ve recently started stocking extra alcohol swabs in my car in case I need to test and my hands are germy from shopping/errands.
Agree, don’t advertise it. Seatbelt cover isn’t bad.
I find long drives require far MORE carbs for hours. The CGM with carbs in the center console is the solution. I choose Gummie Bears & M&Ms because they are fairly stable with temperature.
I just got that seat belt cover! Well, one very similar. Before I got my dex I had a fast drop while driving and wasn’t aware of how low I was until I got home and my mom made me test. So this resinates a lot with me. LOL at your dog <3 so cute
No way! That’s awesome about your seat belt cover. LOL, yes Jett is such a goofball!
Good suggestions! I hate thinking about the “what ifs” but it’s smart to plan for them. Too bad there isn’t more awareness of T1D and everyone knew to look for those symptoms…
I know, it’s not fun to think about worst case scenario and it would be great if there was more awareness about T1D <3
Car labels are good for reminders.
[…] In addition to loading up your car with supplies, there’s also a lot of really cool car swag that you can get to represent the T1D life and for safety purposes. See them here on my post: Diabetic Driver Safety Swag […]