EPILEPSY AND DRIVING

Abstract

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. Given that driving has entered the everyday life of most people nowadays and it is a major factor affecting the quality of life, it is necessary to study whether people with epilepsy can drive safely. There are many factors affecting the decision to allow a person with epilepsy to obtain a driver’s license, nevertheless the fact that we can’t predict if and when a seizure will occur is the most crucial one. The most important parameters influencing a person’s with epilepsy ability to drive are the seizure free period, the type and cause of the epileptic seizures, the patient’s age, the existence of aura, the family history, the EEG, the category and the number of antiepileptic drugs used to treat the condition (monotherapy or more than one drugs needed to treat), the side effects of the drugs, the process of discontinuing the antiepileptic drugs and the co-existing pathological conditions. Lately, there is a worldwide effort to lift the limitations prohibiting driving in people with epilepsy.
Epilepsy and driving is a safety issue affecting the people with epilepsy, as well as all the other people who can get involved with them in a possible car accident whether they are passengers in their car, other drivers or just pedestrians. The most important factor on promoting public safety and transportation for people with epilepsy is for the state to provide good and reliable alternative ways of transport other than driving a car for all the people with epilepsy who may never be able to drive due to their individual condition as some of them will be at high risk of having a driving accident.