Driving Requirements

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RobinN

RobinN

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I must admit that most of the medical related driving rules I have read here on CWE. I guess I could go research it on the CA DMV, but I thought I might get some quick results here.

In CA the law is seizure free for 6 months. Does this mean seizure free AND taking medication? Or just seizure free in general?
 
Huh... Rebecca has been seizure free for one year. Due to changes out of our control, she had to be seen by a new neurologist. He says her case is simply TOO difficult. I said she has been seizure free for one year. He wouldn't sign off, and said that he was going to put in for a referral to his previous boss at USC, which happened to be Rebecca's neuro for a couple of years, yet insurance denied us continuing with her.

Very frustrating being jerked around.

So maybe, if Rebecca were to get the paperwork from the DMV, go about getting her license like everyone else, no doctor has to be involved. Then it doesn't make them liable. All the responsibility lies with me (and Rebecca). I am not sure any doctor has reported her, but I made her check that box when she applied for her ID card (being honest is the best policy IMO).
 
I have to double check for Oregon. Last I knew (and it changes periodically) in Oregon the Dr. can make a recommendation to either revoke, renew or suspend a license however the DMV does not have to follow that recommendation.
 
Yup, in general 6 months. the DMV only needs proof of the 6 months absence of seizures and you should be good to go. The doctor has little say, I think.
 
How does anyone for that matter ... prove it?

Here, if the doctor reports it, they also have to sign off. This doctor definitely is nervous of the legal side of it. He also deals with alzheimer patients, and has his career on the line if someone is approved and kills someone when driving.
 
Oh well, that sucks. And to prove it you would have to document and then get any doctor who you see to sign off on it. Like, every month write in a seizure journal that you haven't had any, then get your local.

Well, if she's been seizure free then he has to. I know of the legal aspects but, you can't not let someone drive to save your own butt forever. You never know if they will have a seizure. It's always a risk. But you have to start somewhere. and legally, that somewhere is 6 months. If your daughter has been seizure free for a year or more, then it's more then legal to let her drive again. If it's stated that's she's been seizure free, then they can't blame it on the seizures... not on the doctor anyway. Then it would be a new case of seizures.
 
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I just talked to our friend who works at the Oregon DMV. My question was "how long after Kait's seizure before she can drive? Does she have to be on medication? Does she have to be under the care of a neurologist?"

reply: That is up to the Dr. Unless he reports to us, we know nothing about it.
Me: I thought Oregon was a mandatory reporting state.
reply: It is but the Dr. pretty much determines what happens.
Me: So when Kait sees her neuro on the 22nd if he says its ok for her to drive than she can?
reply: Yep :)

I am a little shocked by the answers personally. :/
 
Kaitybugsmom said:
I just talked to our friend who works at the Oregon DMV. My question was "how long after Kait's seizure before she can drive? Does she have to be on medication? Does she have to be under the care of a neurologist?"

reply: That is up to the Dr. Unless he reports to us, we know nothing about it.
Me: I thought Oregon was a mandatory reporting state.
reply: It is but the Dr. pretty much determines what happens.
Me: So when Kait sees her neuro on the 22nd if he says its ok for her to drive than she can?
reply: Yep :)

I am a little shocked by the answers personally. :/
Click to expand...
that's bull >.> and I'm shocked also. my doctors always tell me 6 months or more. I think that's reasonable amount of time. Half a year. I like my state. :<
 
Our neck of the woods its 1 year free, with or without meds and its all over to the honesty of the patient. For my Son, he resets the clock to 1 year out after each T/C.
 
In Nevada it's only 3 months, my doctor said at one time in New York it was closer to 3 years
 
I believe in honesty, so when she applied for her ID card, we put seizure disorder as the medical issue. Not sure if CA has such great filing systems that that will be picked up on should she go in to get her license next week. But for now, she has been referred to a totally new Neuro, not the one at USC that she has spent time with. Don't you just love how insurance works? Do you think it is worth asking the particular doctors if they reported her? Guess that doesn't matter since she reported herself. As I said... I believe in truth, especially in regards to something this serious.

Rebecca had some behind the wheel driving with me last Sunday morning. We picked a beautiful quiet, tree lined residential street, with few cars, walkers, and bicyclists. She practiced stopping, turning, pulling over to the curb etc. We will go out on this street a few more times before we try around a few blocks.
 
I would not look back to history records, as you say, you already did the (right) honest thing by ticking the official box...I am sure most will admit to not reporting every seizure to their doc, for many reasons like one being sporadic visits to neurologists
Our neck of the woods, the year clock starts counting at each seizure and there is no rule to have to report each seizure to the doc. So the responsibility is placed on the person with E.

Rebecca on the road to her license, and you get to go out there and teach her (play a little to)...that is so nice to hear and she deserves this so much - as do you :) u must be proud as punch...well look forward to hearing how she gets on, no pressure inteneded.
 
Here's a link to the driving laws in each state. Lots of states have laws that are so general, that to really understand them it takes a lawyer to look at the case law. Crazy. How are we supposed to make the right decisions?


Looking at the california law itself it doesn't look like medication really matters - only length and degree of seizure control.

http://www.epilepsy.com/EPILEPSY/rights_driving

http://apps.dmv.ca.gov/dl/driversafety/laps_table.pdf

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/driversafety/lapes.htm
 
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Here in Idaho it's 6 months seizure free but doctor has to sign off on it. Like I just had to do mine awhile back and mine didn't sign it. So I've had to do 2 take home 72 hour ambulatory EEG. Cause we found out I'm having seizures when I didn't know it.
 
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