Friends seizure

[Dopydina1]

Hi all.a friend at work recently had a seizure at home.she was taken to hospital etc.she drives a company car with staff around.my problem is she says she's allowed to drive but I've been told several times she's not allowed to drive for a period of time.she had the seizure while awake and can't remember a lot about what happened.myself and other staff members are afraid to go in a car with her .she insists her Dr has said she's ok to drive!! She only had tge seizure 4 days ago! Can anyone confirm the the driving situation.because she's my friend I'm loathe to tell the athorities but I'm afraid she'll have a seizure while driving and hurt someone or herself .please help!

She's not had a seizure for 20 odd years and is o medication but she hadn't been taking it .

As far as I am aware a driving licence is revoked for 12 months following a seizure. There are additional 'clauses' regarding night time seizures and medically induced seizures. Have a look at the DVLA
website for confirmation

@purplevicki thanks for reply .I have checked dvla website .friend states that hers is a certain type of seizure but a seizure is a seizure isn't it? If she is lying i think she's very selfish to put people in a position where they are forced to drive with her .also our boss knows the situation and does nothing.thanks again for the reply x

She should not be driving. I think you should speak to your boss about it before she kills someone.

Sorry just see your boss knows. Contact the DVLA and speak to them directly for advice.

No she is right. There are different rules for different seizures, check it out properly before you go blundering in!

My brother surrendered his licence in similar circumstances, there is information on The Epilepsy Society website.

There are a few exemptions e.g if the seizure was provoked by a very recent stroke or head injury. The exception around nocturnal seizures is strict and is only once a clear pattern has emerged.

If it's a plain old fashioned epileptic seizure she should not drive for one year. Go in softly but don't just leave it. Look what happened in Glasgow (bin lorry crash) when someone apparently covered up symptoms interfering with their driving safety.

I say this as an epileptic person who did not drive for 16 years despite the risk being minimal.

P.s. It wouldn't be her doctors decision about whether she is safe to drive or not. That's up to the DVLA, who take medical evidence about the facts.

There are many different types of seizures - 42 at the last count. Whilst I agree with the comment about there being different rules regarding seizures, even it is was following on from a stroke, medication change or head injury, driving few days after this sounds dangerous to me and does not comply with DVLA guidelines.

And I say this as someone with epilepsy who has had their driving licence revoked twice in my adult life.

My mother has epilepsy, last seizure about 20 yrs ago but get an occasional aura and has never been allowed to drove as a result. A couple of yrs in the area I live in a man had a seizure at the wheel and drove in to a father walking his infant and toddler daughters in a buggy and killed both children. That is why I am so concerned when I hear a story like this.

My DD1, 23 had a series of seizures last summer(9 massive tonic clonics after a tonsilectomy).
It then emerged she had had a couple previously... usually after alcohol. Being a med student surrounded by medic friends they had just looked after her and not had her checked out.

One big seizure in front of very worried doctors and that was it... no driving for a year. She had an eeg which showed an unusual pattern. Because of her career they kindly didn't diagnose her with epilepsy but she was banned from driving and warned that one more would mean diagnosis . She beacme teetotal as the neuro told her that anythingsedative is her enemy.

I suspec that she is NOT ok to drive.. her insurance will be invalid!