Driving with epilepsy: a contemporary perspective

A committee of concerned neurologists in cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Safety and other agencies reviewed the present state licensing rules for epileptics and offered recommendations for amendments. Epileptics, diabetics, and patients with cerebrovascular disease have an accident rate of approximately twice that of the general population. Seizures probably account for approximately .02% of all vehicle accidents and only .5% to .01% of the fatal accidents. Accidents caused by seizures involve the driver's vehicle alone or an immovable object 80% of the time and occur in less populated and developed areas than controls. The number of seizures within the first three months of therapy is a powerful prognostic indicator. With knowledgeable individual consideration, licensing epileptics to drive could be done much earlier than previously allowed, without affecting road safety. Physicians giving recommendations for licensing in good faith should be protected by law from liability for unforeseen seizure recurrence.