The Epilepsy Community Forums are closed, and the information is archived. The content in this section may not be current or apply to all situations. In addition, forum questions and responses include information and content that has been generated by epilepsy community members. This content is not moderated. The information on these pages should not be substituted for medical advice from a healthcare provider. Experiences with epilepsy can vary greatly on an individual basis. Please contact your doctor or medical team if you have any questions about your situation. For more information, learn about epilepsy or visit our resources section.

Driving Privileges

Sat, 02/22/2020 - 08:22
Hi, I live in South Carolina. I had my first seizure in Aug. 2018. At that point, I lost my ability to drive for six months. I had my second seizure in Aug. of 2019. Again, the DMV was notified and I haven’t been able to drive for the last six months. Valentine’s Day was the end of this restriction. My doctor gave me a letter to notify the DMV. This time the local office contacted the state office. They said my letter also needed to include my medication and dosage. I contacted my doctor, he made a new letter and turned it in. Yesterday I got a letter from the state DMV saying that they had approved my right to drive and now I need to take that letter to my local office and "make application" to regain my driving privileges. This has me very nervous. I don’t know if I will need to retake the knowledge and skills tests. The knowledge is fine, but I haven’t even parked much less three point turned or parallel parked in a very long time. So I guess my question is, has anyone else gone through this and do you know what "make application" means? If I am likely to have to retake those tests, should I postpone trying to get my license back (I was hoping to go on Monday) in order to have someone take me to practice? Thanks everyone.

Comments

Hi, Thank you for posting and

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 2020-02-24 - 09:31
Hi, Thank you for posting and we are happy to hear that you've been approved to start driving again and we understand your concerns about regaining your driving privileges. The laws determining which medical conditions may prevent someone from driving varies from state to state. You may want to contact the DMV in your community to inquire more about the application process that they mention needing, to regain your driving privileges. Once you know more about this process this can help you make a decision that you’re most comfortable with regarding getting your license back. You can learn more about maintaining your license, the driving laws in your state, here: https://www.epilepsy.com/driving-laws/2008791 . Additionally, you may always contact our 24/7 Helpline, where trained information specialists are available to answer your questions, offer help, hope, support, guidance, and access to national and local resources. 1-800-332-1000, or contactus@efa.org. epilepsy.com/helpline

You’re actually pretty lucky.

Submitted by cuirizslug on Mon, 2020-02-24 - 23:34
You’re actually pretty lucky. I had my seizure and had my license taken away. Had to work so hard get it back. But yes I had to report my meds but no extra test for me. The test shouldn’t be hard though, you got it!!

Sign Up for Emails

Stay up to date with the latest epilepsy news, stories from the community, and more.