Driving with Epilepsy

[hungry hippo]

I am three months seizure free, but I am going to go to the DMV and get my license this weekend, even though you must check off a box that says you are six months seizure free.

What kind of problems could arise from this? I'm warned I can get in trouble and/or sued, but I am under the impression that no one but me has access to my medical records and therefore no one can know that I have had seizures.

Am I right? Is there a high risk involved in this?

Just as info, I have only had two seizures while awake. The rest have been in my sleep. The ones that happened while I was awake happened when I was VERY sleepy and exhausted, so I am not all that worried that I could have a seizure while driving, since I do not drive when I'm sleeping (obviously) or when I am very, very sleepy.

[RobinN]

gosh... I find myself sleepy far too often behind the wheel.
I think you are setting yourself up for .... tragedy. I can truly appreciate the fact that you want/need a license, but is waiting another three months really a hardship.
Did you hear of the lady that had a seizure and ran over a mom and a stroller?
I have to strongly disagree with your thinking. Three months will come and go so quickly. However, IF something were to happen you are looking at the rest of your life.

I personally want my daughter to be one year seizure free.


Oh BTW.... Welcome. Glad you felt comfortable to ask our opinion. Hope you stick around and read some of the other posts about driving.

Accountability
Driving And Epilepsy?

[hungry hippo]

And they would prove somehow that I had had a seizure while driving, or could have had a seizure while driving? Using what documentation (assuming that I didn't actually have a seizure)? My medical records are personal and private, and as far as I know the law doesn't allow for others to check them over if pursuing charges against me or looking to sue me. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.

I don't have seizures while awake. I am strongly against driving while sleepy, so that has always been a no-no in my book. I have no history of seizures while fully awake and alert, and only 5-8 recorded seizures in sleep or sleepiness mode. I think that I'm a better driver than a lot of the nut cases the DMV will give a license to these days.

Let's say the worst case scenario is that I get into a crash (never have been in so much as a fender bender, but let's just say it happens). The other party wants to sue me and they have the police on their side. What are they going to do, get a sixth sense that I might have had a seizure while driving and somehow know to ask if I have a history of them? Without reason to suspect that I have epilepsy, I doubt they would ask that question, and I doubt they would have any way to prove that I have epilepsy since they have no access to my records, and my conversations with my doctor are protected by doctor-patient confidentiality.

Am I write here or off my rocker?

[RobinN]

A doctor/ neurologist is required by law to report this.
But far greater than the fact that you might have a seizure while driving, is what damage you cause while having this accident. Could you actually live with that? Is it worth taking the risk?

Seizures are known to morph and change with the tides. No warning...

[Bernard]

Hi hungry hippo, welcome to the forum.

If you have been to the ER for seizures, there is a record proving your seizure activity (even if the docs did not report it to the DMV). If you ever have an accident while driving and the insurance companies find out you technically weren't supposed to be driving, they may not cover you.

Robin, the law on DMV reporting is different state to state.

[hungry hippo]

So my neurologist, if I told him (which I would/will) that I had gotten my drivers license, would be required to report it to the DMV?

My handful of seizures in the past couple of years are all sleep-related and all only diagnosed because I spent my money to see a doctor. Other people go undiagnosed and still get to drive because they don't do the same.

The odds of me having a seizure while awake are really low.

Please explain how someone who hypothetically was in a crash with me would be able to show that I had epilepsy and that it could have caused the crash.

I know for myself that I am no more likely to hit a pedestrian now than I am when I was driving around with undiagnosed and uncontrolled seizures. In fact, I am less likely now, because my condition is medicated and under control.

[hungry hippo]

Hi hungry hippo, welcome to the forum.

If you have been to the ER for seizures, there is a record proving your seizure activity (even if the docs did not report it to the DMV). If you ever have an accident while driving and the insurance companies find out you technically weren't supposed to be driving, they may not cover you.

Robin, the law on DMV reporting is different state to state.

Thanks for the welcome from you guys I'm sorry if I have started off with an intense sort of question.

I suppose this answers part of my previous question. Still, are you absolutely sure that medical records are available for such public access? Law enforcement, the judicial system, the government, etc, can all look at my ER record?

[Bernard]

I don't know what the process is, but insurance companies have lots of resources at their disposal. You might be able to investigate further from here:

Auto Insurance (Epilepsy Foundation)

Driving Laws & Legal Issues (Epilepsy Foundation)

[hungry hippo]

Bernard, that was is very helpful, thank you. I think I now know where to go from here.

[RobinN]

Robin, the law on DMV reporting is different state to state.

Sorry, didn't mean to suggest that they were.

[skillefer]

Hi Hungry Hippo! Welcome to the forum. California is a mandatory reporting state. So if I tell my doc that I've had a seizure, they have to contact DMV. So, like lots of epileptics I know, we keep quiet about our seizures. We need to drive to get to work and public transportation is almost nonexistent where I live. Taxi's are just way too expensive, and my family needs my income. So trust me, I know how you feel.

[angel]

i cant drive for 6 weeks now because of switching meds its up to my neurologist weather he reports to dmv or not.... im in oregon.... WHEN he tells me no driving i listen because i dont want to lose my dl.... anyways, the meds make me so tired sometimes i wouldnt even think of driving... you could get a dui OR for that matter hurt someone.....

(((((((((hugs))))))))
angel

[hungry hippo]

Hi Hungry Hippo! Welcome to the forum. California is a mandatory reporting state. So if I tell my doc that I've had a seizure, they have to contact DMV. So, like lots of epileptics I know, we keep quiet about our seizures. We need to drive to get to work and public transportation is almost nonexistent where I live. Taxi's are just way too expensive, and my family needs my income. So trust me, I know how you feel.

Interesting. I have always considered this but always hoped it wouldn't come down to it. I pay good money for one of the best neurologists in the state and I need him to be fully apprised of my condition in order to accurately medicate me and keep me as healthy as possible, otherwise money for my appointments with him is money wasted. If it were to come down to it, I'd have a hard time making a decision between my driving freedom and my honesty with my doctor. Hopefully, since my new medication dose seems to be working perfectly, I won't ever have to make that decision.

[skillefer]

I hope you don't have to ever make that choice. Trust me, it's not an easy one to make. One of my friends who has E, has a child that is under 16. The child has a provisional driver's license. It allow's the child to take control of the vehicle and drive my friend home should she have a seizure. The child has had that provisional license since I think age 12.

[hungry hippo]

I hope you don't have to ever make that choice. Trust me, it's not an easy one to make. One of my friends who has E, has a child that is under 16. The child has a provisional driver's license. It allow's the child to take control of the vehicle and drive my friend home should she have a seizure. The child has had that provisional license since I think age 12.

Wow. That is scary. They allow that, but they won't allow someone with sleep-related epilepsy who has been seizure-free for three months to get a license. Bizarre.

The funny thing is, if I were only renewing my license and not applying for a new one (my old one has expired) I wouldn't have to check off any little boxes at all, and therefore wouldn't be faced with this dilemma.

[KAM]

Hi Hr,
I've had the experience with being the individual that caused the accident because of "E". If you ever have a seizure or convulsion that involves an accident, it is apparent because it takes us some time to come back to consciousnesses. Respect the DMV, I had a Complex Partial when I knew my Dilantin was too low and I surrendered my licensee (after the accident in Wisconsin) to the state of Florida. They didn’t know what to do with my license when I signed the surrender form but I did. I haven’t had any problems since but I must say, my seizures may be coming back at night (in my sleep) and one of my first thoughts is how I am going to get to work? If I need to drive, my kids and the public could be at risk. I had one seizure (maybe) last week in my sleep. I’ll work with you on this but my last seizure recorded was 2/15/99 and we must be responsible. Sound like a debate?

[skillefer]

Wow. That is scary. They allow that, but they won't allow someone with sleep-related epilepsy who has been seizure-free for three months to get a license. Bizarre.

The funny thing is, if I were only renewing my license and not applying for a new one (my old one has expired) I wouldn't have to check off any little boxes at all, and therefore wouldn't be faced with this dilemma.

What can I say....I live in California. In some communities you can't even smoke a cigarrette in your own house but walk down the street with a cigarrette in your hand and you're fine. *shrug* common sense is not so common.

[RobinN]

What can I say....I live in California. In some communities you can't even smoke a cigarrette in your own house but walk down the street with a cigarrette in your hand and you're fine. *shrug* common sense is not so common.

I live in CA too, and I don't know that law. This sounds like some of the stories that they use to tell about Marin County.

[sharpie]

I was doing some research about epilepsy I have been struggling to find out the cause of my seizures and how to control them since I have been a child and they have changed over the years. But after reading about your problem at hand I wanted to tell you a story if thats alright.

I got my license when I was 16 and I still have it today but I haven't drove since high school....... its been a long time and lets face it, it sucks I know. But getting back to the point of my story when I was in high school I hadn't had a seizure in about the same amount of time. I begged my parents to let me drive to school and my dad decided to let me everything was fine until I came home. While driving up the drive way I had a seizure (complex partial seizures) and I drove up on the front porch steps right next to the house, then put it in park got out of the car and walked in the house like nothing happened. I am lucky that I didn't hit the house or hurt myself.

If this is that important to you what if you get it but not use it right away, maybe have it and then wait another 3 months to see if its meant to be. Also if you do go through with getting your license why don't you drive with someone in the car for a while and not by yourself.

p.s. don't be mad or frustrated this is all good advise that you are hearing from everyone, it sucks to hear but, it could end up saving your life. Wishing you the best of luck

[RanMan]

Hungary Hippo,
I have to disagree with you on this one.

I have a real problem with people who drive with a known seizure condition and then there's ppl like me who have gone seizure free for 25 years and then in 2002 I had a minor incident in a parking lot and had my DL suspended as a result.

I went 25 yrs seizure free and I was of the strong opinion that if I were to have an "aura" or get that feeling just before a grande-mal while I was driving, I would be able to pull over in plenty of time, but since found out that it's like playing Russian Roulette, I was fooling myself. I had a minor incident in a parking lot and as a result, I had my licence suspended.I still drove for 2 yrs but I was just lucky that nothing happened. After driving my whole adult life and then having my licence stripped away, I felt like part of my freedom was taken away. It could happen at ANY time and you won't have time to pull over. So again I ask you is it worth the gamble?

Did you hear about the lady in Florida last week that had a siezure while driving and her licence was under suspention for medical reasons?

She drove her SUV through a school bus drop off area and hit some kids. (not sure how many were killed)

As well as facing criminal charges, she will be living with this guilt for the rest of her life and never be able to get insurance.

I'm sorry but I have a problem with people who have a KNOWN seizure condition and continue to drive and then there's me who has a siezure condition that has been under control for 25 yrs and I've had mine suspended. To me that seems very irresponsible.

Most people are of the opinion that "that will never happen to me." Well it seems to be happening more often than ever.

O K, so IF you choose to drive, Now try to get insurance. If the insurance Co. finds out that you have/had a seizure condition, your premiums will sky rocket or if you should have a minor mis hap ~ even if it's not your fault and the insurance Co. wasn't informed of your seizure cond. they will not cover you and you COULD be sued or wind up in a huge legal battle.

With this being said, you have to ask yourself, "is it really worth the risk?"

Randy