[1][2][3] It is for this reason that most people diagnosed with epilepsy are prohibited or restricted by their local laws from operating vehicles.
There is an ongoing debate in bioethics over who should bear the burden of ensuring that a person with epilepsy does not drive a car or fly an aircraft.
In these countries, it is common for people with epilepsy to hide their condition from authorities in order not to be denied a driver's license.
In the U.S., people with epilepsy can drive if their seizures are controlled with medication or other treatment and they meet the licensing requirements in their state.
[23][24] In 44 of the 50 states, the burden is placed on patients to report their condition to appropriate licensing authorities so that their privileges can be revoked where appropriate.
The document puts the onus on both applicant to reveal if the person loses consciousness due to any cause and medical practitioner to provide a certificate that the applicant, to the best of the professional's judgment, has epilepsy, vertigo or any mental ailment likely to affect driving ability.
[28] While most places allow people with their seizures under control to drive a car, laws regarding the operation of an airplane generally are much more strict.
In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration often prohibits anyone with epilepsy from being issued a pilot's license, even if the seizures are controlled by a medication or have completely ceased.