A study on driving status in 98 epileptic patients with driving licences

As to the driving status in the period between January 1984 and December 1988, 98 epileptic patients with driving licences were examined, paying regard to their clinical conditions. Sixty-one (62%) of the patients were seizure-free for the last five years or more in December 1988. Eighty-one (83%) were actually driving motor vehicles at the time of this study, and 27 (33%) of the 81 drivers still had fits during the past five years. Nine patients (9%) had caused traffic accidents, but no accident had occurred due to seizures. The type of the nine accidents was as follows: One case of a slight physical injury to the other person, four cases of the driver's own car damage without other material damage, and four of the accidents involving other cars.