Citation

Beghi E, Sander JW. Br. Med. J. BMJ 2005; 331(7508): 60-61.

Affiliation

Laboratory of Neurological Disorders, Istituto Mario Negri, Milan, Italy; Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, University College London Institute of Neurology

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bmj.331.7508.60

PMID

16002855

PMCID

PMC558600

Abstract

The lack of driving privileges is one of the major concerns of people with epilepsy. Seizures undoubtedly represent a potential source of accidents and injuries, and this justifies limitations on driving for people liable to epileptic seizures. Convincing evidence shows that in the absence of seizures (with or without treatment), the risk of accidents and injuries is clearly decreased and tends to be close to that of the general population.

Unfortunately, the variability of published reports on risk has led to differing regulations for a driving licence among the members of the European Union and elsewhere in the world, with each jurisdiction developing and enforcing its own regulations on epilepsy and driving.

An effort should be made by the driving authorities within the European Union to set common and more flexible rules considering epilepsy and seizures as a spectrum of clinical conditions, many of which are fully or partly compatible with non-commercial driving. Different periods of seizure freedom could be considered as a prerequisite for granting driving licences, depending on the type of epilepsy and seizure patterns.