Six months following first unprovoked seizure, antiepileptic-treated adults have a recurrence risk in the following 12 months of significantly below the 20% threshold required to regain their driving license
Context People with epilepsy (PWE) have identified driving as an important factor influencing quality of life and employment. Most countries, provinces and states have laws or guidelines regulating driving privileges following single or recurrent seizures. Driving restrictions for PWE are typically defined by the seizure-free interval (SFI), which varies by jurisdiction. The purpose of such regulations is presumed to be public safety followed by safety of the PWE. Balancing public safety with personal freedom to drive and its potential affect on quality of life may be in conflict. The efficacy of such regulations has been minimally studied. Methods Bonnett and colleagues reanalysed data from the Multicentre study of early Epilepsy and Single Seizures (MESS) study which was originally designed to determine the probability of seizure recurrence in the period of time 6 months beyond the first event, and the influence of seizure medications usage. Data on…
