Is an application form useful to select patients with epilepsy who may drive?
Of 1,268 persons who claimed to have epilepsy and were therefore disqualified for military service, 55% had a driving license 5 years later. Only 58% had applied for a driving license. Of those 14% who had answered truthfully the question "have you had fits, epilepsy etc." in the application form, 63% received a license. Fewer persons with epilepsy had a driving license after about 5 years (55%) than did age-matched controls (73%). The application form is of no use in preventing persons with epilepsy from obtaining a driving license. Adequate instruction of the patient and of his physician is to be preferred to the use of an application form.
D000293:Adolescent; D001333:Automobile Driver Examination; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine; D009426:Netherlands; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires