If you have a patient with seizures that alter his or her awareness, consciousness, or muscle control, that patient may not have the legal right to drive. Each state has its own restrictions. If your patient has further questions please ask them to check with their local Department of Motor Vehicles.

Which states require physician reporting?

Six states (California, Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and Pennsylvania) still require physicians to report patients who have seizures to the state, usually to the department of motor vehicles. While these statutes arguably do little to protect the public interest, they have been used to bring civil litigation against physicians who have not reported their patients to the department of motor vehicles, even in cases where patients are compliant and on medication.

The Driving Handout is a form that you can use to document that you had a conversation with a patient regarding epilepsy and driving and inform them of the laws in their state.

View the Driving Handout (PDF: 56K)

For more information on the requirements for driving in every state please visit http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/rights_driving.html.