Epilepsy and driving

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Abstract
Rules vary from state to state In the European Union, some member states, including the United Kingdom, require a one year period of freedom from seizures before granting or renewing a driving licence although most require a two year period. More variation exists about exceptions where people with active epilepsy may drive (for example, seizures during sleep, myoclonic seizures, simple partial seizures, and seizures only on awakening). In the United Kingdom, for example, the only exception to the rule is seizures occurring solely during sleep, with this pattern established for three years. But this pattern needs to be established for two years in Belgium and only one year in the Netherlands. The Republic of Ireland also requires the pattern to be established for one year, and the Netherlands allows people who have seizures during wakefulness that are not felt to impair driving ability (simple partial seizures) to drive. French legislation allows people with seizures only on awakening to drive. Regulations on commercial driving and supportive laboratory (electroencephalographic) criteria differ widely. In most countries of the European Union, the onus for reporting seizures to the driving authorities is on the individual.