Do you think driving laws are fair with regards to epilepsy?

Are driving laws pertaining to epilepsy fair?

  • Yes

    Votes: 162 45.5%
  • No

    Votes: 122 34.3%
  • Not sure

    Votes: 72 20.2%

  • Total voters
    356

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thats what makes me laugh about the states its called the united states but if that was true surely they would be united in how they deal with such things instead of somethings being legal in one state and ten miles down the road its against the law

Hmm...hard to explain without going political. Long story short, we don't allow our federal government to overrule our states rights to govern themselves, generally speaking. This isn't the place for more political and historical in-depth discussion, though - that would be a PM discussion. :)
 
Tech speaks out

As someone who has performed EEGs and witnessed many seizures over 25 yrs, I have voted No. I understand, completely, how losing a license or having it suspended chages life and freedom. Let me try to explain.

At one time, if you had a seizure disorder, you could literally get away with murder--"honest judge, I do have a seizure disorder". In my world, I have MANY patients who don't eat right, sleep right or medicate correctly. I personally would not want them driving on the street with me. While some folks have a true 'aura", premonition or warning of pending events, many do not. Many states have made it a crime to drive, with a seizure disorder, and cause personal injury or death. I am not sure if you would be held accountable if you were a compliant patient and doing all you should be to control your events.

In my experience, if you are doing what needs to be done to treat yourself, the driving privelege in mosts states will be returned. If your state has more stringent restrictions, get involved with your legislature and get those changed. Don't compare yourself to drug addicts, dui,dwi,etc.--work to chage what affects you. You get more bees with honey.

And yes--while many folks have seizures with very specific patterns, sometimes those can change. Maybe the question should be--If your child, spouse, significant other, parent, sibling, etc was killed by a driver who was having a seizure and should not have been driving....what would you do???
 
Driving - new case in Dallas - man convicted (criminal charges)

Hello, while this is an extreme case, I think it warrants posting.

A man here in the Dallas area was recently convicted and sentenced to 15 years in PRISON for driving with a "known medical condition" (seizures) because he killed a family of five people. Granted, he was speeding (caused by...seizures?), and at first they thought it was a DWI (turns out it wasn't), but it also left him in the hospital for months and paralyzed from the waist down.

Links:
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Man-on-trial-for-traffic-deaths-of-Plano-family--101576633.html (Posting in 12-13th paragraph he had seizures)


http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...strial_23met.ART0.State.Edition1.357fbbf.html

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...strial_28met.ART0.State.Edition1.35b9677.html

This didn't sway the jury. I wish I knew more details, but the fact that they included a "known medical condition" in the indictment shows precedent that has a strong case for not driving with E. Let alone the emotional consequences and financial problems. You could be financially devastated, too.
Oh!! And the JAIL TIME.

What do you all think? Trust me, I HATE the fact (and hubby does, too), that he can't drive right now. It's really, really tough here in Dallas because our public transportation system isn't good at all.
 
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After having a breakthrough seizure while driving, (I used to only have nocturnal seizures while asleep,) but have had quite a few breakthrough seizures during waking hrs I voluntarilly stopped driving because the need for me to be here for my husband and daughters far outweighs my need to drive. I have many friends and family who have told me they could help me out if I needed to be somewhere and thankfully my husband now owns his own business with his office here at the house because we live in a rural community with only about 5,000 people in the city that doesn't even have any stoplights.
It has been extremely hard to not drive at all but I'd rather be here for my family than drive down the block and get in a horrible wreck. <3
 
DDR, I don't believe the case in Dallas was E related. The guy had no diagnosis of E, has never been to doctor about E....E never came up until some time in the trial that he said he couldn't remember and guessed he had a seizure. I really took offense to it...it just came off as someone trying to use E to their benefit.
 
:soap:

With a TBI, no the guy won't remember.

Negative EEGs also doesn't necessarily mean the guy didn't have a seizure behind the wheel, nor does not visiting a neurologist.

/step off :soap:


As a TBI sufferer who also has seizures, I don't drive. It's frustrating as all get out sometimes, but it's safer for me and everyone else on the road because I'd feel terrible if I had a seizure behind the wheel and hurt somebody. *shrug*
 
Maybe we can Eventually Use a car

BERLIN (AFP) - Scientists in Germany unveiling the latest self-driven car on Wednesday said the days of humans behind the wheel are numbered and that their technology can slash accidents and help the environment.

"In the future it will be forbidden for safety reasons for people to drive cars," predicted Raul Rojas, professor at Berlin's Free University (FU). "The cars of today are the horses of yesterday."

"In five to 10 years the technology could be applied in private areas like airports, factories or warehouses. On motorways ... in 10-20 years," Rojas told reporters. "In cities the obstacles could be removed in 20-30 years."

http://ca.autos.yahoo.com/p/2001/german-scientists-unveil-self-driving-car
 
I think the restrictions are necessary. We are talking about people's lives here. I almost caused a major accident when I had a complex partial and another time when I had a complex partial, I lost total consciousness with my son & nephew in the car. I came to just as we were about to go over an embankment going down to the lake. We would have all been dead if I hadn't come out of it at the right moment. And I've had many, many more experiences with losing awareness while driving. I was on ep meds, but they weren't working & my neuro had not taken my driving privleges away. I took the initiative to stop driving many times. Yeah it's a big hassle no being able to drive, but I'd rather keep myself & others alive. So, yes, the laws are fair. I just hate to see so many that are still having seizures who refuse to tell the docs because they don't want to lose driving privleges. But let's be smart here & show some love & concern for our fellow man.
 
Having only ever suffered simple partial seizures I have never lost contiousness or even felt I could not drive even when having one. Living in Scotland UK the law states that I have to be siezure free for 12 months before I can drive again and also if my meds stop thats another 6 months. As a Radiographer (Radtech) I witness and work with folks who have palpitations, hypoglycaemic attacks, angina attacks and so on. These people are not required to surrender their license and they are more of a danger than I ever could be. I know some seizures are worse than others and I am pretty lucky to only have mild ones. Sure there must be a line in the sand somewhere for epilepsy sufferers but why not others who might endanger themselves and others due to chronic illness. I feel epilepsy is hard done by and should be gauged on a case by case basis.
 
I've read a lot of the responses on this subject. There are some very good resoning points in this thread. I live in Missouri. My neuro had me sign a paper stating I would not drive for 6 months after being seizure free. I don't know if that paper was sent to the state. My license was not actually taken away from my possession. Even if I can't drive, there are still many instances when I am reqested to show my license, so I am going to keep it & keep it renewed.

But there were some comments made about people driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. They drive & cause accidents or kill someone & they get to keep driving. TOTALLY unfair! And what about those with other dangerous disease. They get to keep driving. And what about old people who are unsafe? I was in the license office one day & an elderly lady was reading the letters & (no kidding) the license staff was helping her with the letters! "Does it look like a C? Does it look like an F?", etc., telling her what the letters were. They still gave her a license! How unsafe is that? Then there is a man who lives on our street who never drives over 10 mph, even in a 45 mph zone. He's a real danger. Now I'm not saying all old people are unsafe. I have a friend close to 90 & he is as sharp as a tack. I have no fear of him driving.

I agree that as epileptics, we need to take caution with our driving & if that means not driving for a little while or even never, then so be it. But laws should be passed to get these other more dangerous people off the roads as well.

Shelia
 
You know , I just don't think you can compare the two. One is an addiction and the other is an illness. It does make me sick that people die from drinking and drugs. But this is also something we can't always control. I have never been able to drive, but if somebody hit my child who had epilepsy and knew that they had the choice. I would make sure they were locked up for life. I am so sorry if I offended anybody. I am just very careful when it comes to that.
 
In Australia you loose your licence for 6 months after each seizure. It's like a clock that re-sets each time. Also they need to complete a medical every year (seizures or no-seizures) Ev currently can't drive.

He has always had his seizures in his sleep or first thing int he morning but recently he had one in the car (while I was driving) it was very difficult to deal with as we where 2 hours from home and he was trying to get onto the road. The ambulance took him for monitoring as a virus had caused the seizure and he was very sick.

But ever since this he doesn't want to drive now, I think it is scaring him now as he becomes more aware he has little control over his seizures. In time he will regain that confidence I am sure, but nows probably a good time for him not to be driving.
 
I know most everyone hates losing their freedom and legal driving privileges, but are driving laws restricting folks who have had a seizure a necessary evil?
in australia you cant drive if you have had a seizuire within 2 years how ever those who get a warning before should be able to diabetics can heart attack people can and they dont get pre warning often
 
I understand the many posts who feel restrictions are right, or no privileges should be given to drive. I have had 4 seizures in my life, and am on two medications now. The last two were attributable to poor generic medication. I have never caused an accident, and can count the tickets I've gotten on one hand. I do think a few months restriction to determine if the seizures are controlled by medication is appropriate though inconvenient. Two times I was forced to retake the drivers exam after being interviewed by the same people who interview DUIs before getting them back on the road, and treated like a criminal by the women who were judging me on the driving test until I explained it was a seizure and not a DUI that was the cause for my being there. Yes, I was offended by that, and no, I do not think I should not be able to have a license. Needless to say every case is individual. Today my three months restriction is up, and I'm going for a motorcycle ride with my husband (I ride my own). It's the only time I feel truly alive.
 
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sorry but in my eyes driving with epilepsy is worse than walking down the road with a loaded shotgun because a car at speed with an unconcious driver can kill more people than a person walking down a street with a loaded shotgun with the safety off at least if that person has a ceizure he/she would only kill 1 or 2 people an uncontrolled car can kill far more
 
Everyone has a right to their opinion, but your broadbrush view of E is exactly what I was trying to get away from by joining this forum. Everyone's is different, not only in type, but in severity. Adherence to medication regiment, control and lifetime experience are all considerations, and you can't judge all by one word. And I had a wonderful motorycle ride yesterday. And I guess you wouldn't like the arsenal I take to the shooting range, and no I'm not kidding. If you were told you had cancer does that mean you are going to die? No. If you are told you have E does that make you a defective person. No. It's a condition. And if it is so dangerous as you have noted above, then I guess I shouldn't be walking across a street, because on the off chance I seize (which is as unlikely as while driving), I might cause a serious accident by my convulsing body making people swerve and hit other people. I will not live in a birdcage fearing everything in the world. I guess bottom line, we can agree that we seriously disagree in our viewpoint.
 
I remember my Dad could not Drive because of his diabetes. I think some are really to strick and some states are to lenient. Dui's are rediculous. Here in WA they will give you a ticket for anything.
 
no you missunderstand me , you are as safe as you feel , but siezures can strike at any time only the other day i spent an hour infront of a pc screen after getting up to make sure i wasnt having any petty mals before going outside onto a ladder with a 9 inch angle grinder to cut through a 4 inch thick concrete roof of a coal house an hour after this i was walking from the kitchen to the living room with a bucket of water (changing the softshell turtles water when i had a petty mal and found myself kissing the floor and covered in that bucket of water, the wife found it hilarious and went running for a camera, but my after thoughts were that could of happened while i was cutting the coalhouse roof and with a 9 inch angle grinder with a dry diamond disk in it it could of easily cut me in half, you see up till that point all my petty mals were first thing in the morning which is why i spend the first hour of each day at my pc because if i fall over i know im not gonna harm even me but that day things changed and believe me i will be having words with my neurologist about this
 
I'm sorry you have continued problems with szs. I did understand, I just disagree given everyone's situation is different. Mine is not like yours, as others differ from both of us. You have to do what you feel is safe for you. My doc's opinion is that I am not a danger either in car or on motorcycle. I just believe it is not right to judge all given your situatioin alone, it's important to keep things in perspective, and not use a broad brush. I tell so few about my diagnosis because so many judge just based on the E word.
 
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