Driver With Suspected Seizure Causes Accident 男開車癲癇發作衝撞路旁車輛 所幸無傷亡

A man was suspected of having a seizure while driving in Kaohsiung on the 15th. He lost control of his car and rammed into a parked vehicle, causing damage to 14 cars and scooters. The man suffered scratches on his forehead, while no other injuries were reported. He confessed to the police that he had a history of epilepsy, and the cause of the accident needs to be investigated. 

The car was driving normally, but after passing the intersection, it suddenly slammed into a row of vehicles on the side of the road. A total of two cars and 12 scooters were damaged. Except for the driver's slight forehead injury, no other people were injured.

Witness: “I saw the accident take place. His car rushed forward violently, and it shifted to neutral gear.”

Chen Yun-chen, Deputy Chief, Chenggong Police Station, Kaohsiung City: “His physical discomfort caused the car to move forward and collide with two cars and 12 motorcycles parked on the side of the road.”

The police said that the man surnamed Li's blood alcohol test value was 0. He claimed to have a history of epilepsy. It could not be ruled out that the seizure took place while he was waiting for a red light, but the exact cause still needs to be investigated. The doctor says that epilepsy patients can still obtain a driver's license and drive if they do not have seizures within two years after an evaluation. However, it is recommended that someone accompany them while driving, and they should also pay attention to their physical condition at all times. Compared with the United States, Taiwan has relatively strict regulations on license examinations for patients with mild epilepsy, so there is no need to worry too much about epilepsy patients driving.

Chang Yang-pei, Neurologist, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-tung Hospital: “We generally recommend that someone accompany an epilepsy patient while driving. If the driver seems like he or she is going to have a seizure, just simply pull over. So ask the driver to pay attention to this part if there are any signs. Some patients will have signs of a seizure before it occurs.”

According to the Kaohsiung Motor Vehicles Office, after obtaining a driver's license, patients with mild epilepsy need to renew their driver's license every two years. They also have to provide a doctor's certificate to prove that they have had no seizures within two years before renewing their license. In the event of a car accident, their driver's license will be canceled, and can only be tested for the license after a further two years of evaluation.

小客車原本正常行駛在車道上，經過路口後突然衝撞路旁整排車輛，一共兩輛汽車、12輛機車受損。除了駕駛額頭輕傷外，沒有其他人員受傷。

目擊民眾說：「暴衝的時候因為我有看到，現場車子他暴衝，車子打N檔。」

高雄市成功派出所副所長陳昀辰指出：「突然身體不適，導致車子往前行駛，衝撞停放在路邊2輛自小客車，及12輛普重機車。」

警方表示，肇事者酒測值為0，自稱有癲癇病史，不排除停等紅燈時癲癇發作導致，但確切原因還要調查。醫師提醒，癲癇患者在評估後，2年內不會發作還是可以考取駕照、開車，但行進間建議有人陪伴，也要隨時注意身體狀況。台灣對於輕症癲癇患者考照規範，跟美國相比已相對嚴謹，不用過度憂心癲癇患者開車這件事。

高雄大同醫院神經內科醫師張揚沛說：「開車的時候，我們一般建議旁邊有人在會比較好。那第2是說，請他說萬一你覺得快要發作，事實上就趕快把車靠邊停。例如說請他一定要注意這個部份，假如說他已經有些前兆，有些病人他會有前兆。」

高雄監理所表示，癲癇輕症患者考領駕照後，每2年需換照一次，同樣得提供醫師證明2年內沒有癲癇發作，換發新照。若期間開車因發病發生車禍，駕照將會註銷，待2年後經過評估核，才可再重新考照。