As a group of 160 diabetic individuals treated with insulin the statistical odds of a severe incident are 7.1%, 7.3%, 0.8% respectively per your own citation.
Severe hypoglycemia had required emergency treatment in 7.1% of patients with type 1 diabetes, in 7.3% of patients with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes, and in 0.8% of patients taking oral antidiabetic agents.
All incidents for the unknown-number cohort within that group of 160 individuals who were treated with insulin ran higher. Counting both severe and non-severe (not requiring emergency medical treatment?) incidents within that cohort. However, "emergency medical treatment" is not defined - is it only calling out the EMS to administer glucose or does it include family/friends/strangers slipping the person so OJ or a non-diet soda or a piece of (preferably) hard candy? (Just for the record, I prefer Peanut M&Ms.) The study gives a rather imprecise definition of "Mild hypoglycemia is usually defined by the ability to self-treat, while episodes requiring external assistance are defined as severe." Further, the level of severity (physiological state) is not reported. "Have a Snickers bar" is different from "OMG that person just dropped to the ground".
The prevalence of all hypoglycemia (mild and sever in the group with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes was 45% with an incidence of 16.4 episodes per patient per year (42.9 episodes per patient per year in type 1 diabetes). Their incidence of severe hypoglycemia was 0.35 episodes per patient per year (1.15 episodes per patient per year in type 1 diabetes). In the group with type 1 diabetes, only 1 in 10 of those experiencing severe hypoglycemia required emergency service treatment compared with 1 in 3 of the group with type 2 diabetes.
Let's look at when the number of severe incidents is broken out - Type 1s = 0.35/year while Type 2s = 1.15/year.
The problem remains that out of the study cohort of 160 we still do not know a) the number of Type 1s and the number of Type 2s, b) the base HbA1c levels of any of the cohorts or the average of the whole and then broken down by Type 1 v Type 2, let alone the HbA1c level at the time of onset of hypoglycemic symptoms, c) the level of medical compliance of any of the individuals, d) the amount of insulin prescribed (an indication of the "severity" of the disease), e) the scheduling for the prescribed insulin (before meals based on blood glucose reading, after meals based on blood glucose readings, single administration of long-acting insulin upon rising or immediately prior to retiring, f) the age of the individual cohort members and g) a whole ***tload of other factors.
Thanks for the study - it was interesting reading. But it neither supports your position that all diabetics should be banned from driving because they are accidents just waiting to happen nor provides any meaningful information on how to better control hypoglycemia.
stay safe.