Strides have been made in allowing people with controlled epilepsy to drive, but people with uncontrolled epilepsy should not drive. States mandate a period of not driving after a seizure, typically ranging from 3 months to 1 year - assuming that the seizure causes loss of consciousness, confusion or loss of motor control. A study published in the journal Epilepsy & Behavior 2009, volume 14, page 640, reviewed charts from an Arizona Emergency Room on 267 consecutive patients diagnosed with altered consciousness. Only one in ten had documentation of a physician providing a safety discussion about driving. Such advice could be lifesaving for a person with seizures or other causes of loss of consciousness. In addition, if a person with a loss of consciousness episode does not report their condition to their state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), failure to do so later could land that person in legal trouble. In six states, California, Nevada, Oregon, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania, the doctor also is legally required to report seizures or loss of consciousness episodes. The other 44 states require self-reporting. Physicians need to do better in counseling driving safety, but the ultimate responsibility rests with the person who had the episode.

Robert S. Fisher, M.D., Ph.D.
Editor-in-Chief, epilepsy.com