The purpose of the Canadian study described in this scientific poster was to examine whether truck drivers with diabetes have an increased crash risk compared with healthy ones, and whether the risks vary for different treatments (insulin, hypoglycemic agents). Individual records on 3,500 licensees from the provincial car insurer (SAAQ) with their medical conditions were validated and completed with information from the provincial health insurer (RAMQ) yielding the health status for each licensee for each year from 1987 to 1990. The drivers' records for the corresponding four years were added, as was information gathered through a telephone survey. Annual crash rates were 16 per 100 professional drivers (earned their living by driving at work), 14 per I00 truck drivers (all crashes), and the rate for truck crashes was 9.4 per I00 drivers. The fraction of insulin using licensees who drove a truck is smaller than the one for healthy drivers. The yearly health status varies over the four years, an important factor in the analyses. The regression models with the explanatory variables yielded no significantly increased risks for insulin using drivers. The most problematic group is the one of the 46-55 year olds with diabetes without complications (no insulin use, mainly treated with hypoglycemic agents), particularly the ones with a license for straight trucks only.
Abstract