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Driving and Epilepsy: A Historical Perspective and Review of Current Regulations

1994; Wiley; Volume: 35; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1528-1157.1994.tb02490.x

1528-1167

Allan Krumholz,

Neuroscience of respiration and sleep

Summary: Historically, persons with seizures or epilepsyhave been prohibited from driving automobiles or motorvehicles because of concern for public safety. Seizureshave a tendency to recur and pose risks of traffic accidents, property damage, and personal injury. In our modern world, however, driving an automobile is such aneconomic and social necessity that a conflict results between our need to protect public safety and our responsibility to provide reasonable opportunities to drive forpersons handicapped by seizures and epilepsy. Currently, there is a trend toward liberalization of driving standardsfor persons with epilepsy, but there is still considerablecontroversy regarding the specific driving restrictionsnecessary for persons with seizures, the way in whichsuch policies should be administered, and the role physicians should have in the process.