Driving Status in Patients with Epilepsy

Abstract

The author examined driving status in 255 patients with epilepsy (144 males and 111 females) ranging in age between 16 and 59 years. One hundred and twenty-seven patients (50%) had driven a motor vehicle, four of whom had done without driving licences. At the time of this study, 112 subjects (44%) held current licences and 94 patients (37%) were still driving. Of the 112 licence holders, only 10 had consulted a doctor about obtaining the licence. Seventy-five of the 112 subjects (67%) had seizure-free period for three years or more at this study. Thirty-four of the 127 patients (27%) had caused traffic accidents, and nine of the accidents (26%) had occurred due to seizures. Fatal accidents were two, one of which happened as a result of a seizure. Thirty-two accidents, except the above two, were defined as any damage to the driver's car and/or other material damages. Complex partial seizures including secondarily generalized seizures were responsible for eight of the nine accidents (89%) due to fits. © 1989, JAPAN EPILEPSY SOCIETY. All rights reserved.