Licensed To Kill?

A 43-year-old psychiatrist who has a history of epileptic seizures told police that he allegedly blacked out while driving with his two sons in the family minivan on November 4. The toll following his episode was three dead and seven hospitalized in the resulting five-car pileup.
How this happened is still under investigation, but Dr. Alexander Juwah, who has not been charged with any crime by the Queens District Attorney's office, apparently lied when he filled out his driver's license renewal in April.
Juwah checked the box indicating he had not had nor was being treated for a &#8220convulsive disorder, epilepsy, fainting or dizzy spells, or any condition which causes unconsciousness,” according to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). According to sources within the DMV, Juwah had checked the same box in 2003 as well.
If Juwah had checked the appropriate box either time, he would have been required to get a statement, for the DMV's Medical Review Unit, from his neurologist or neurosurgeon that his epilepsy seizures were under control.
This state and a majority of others do not have any laws requiring doctors who are treating epileptics to inform the DMV of their conditions or severity thereto. Diabetics, persons with cardiovascular disorders or mental illness should also be reported to the DMV Medical Review unit by their physicians if they experience blackouts, fainting spells, or severe dizziness.
Public safety should outweigh the “doctor - patient privilege.” We do not let blind people drive so why should we make it so easy for people to lie and avoid being bothered with more forms and medical scrutiny by the DMV? We should not. Furthermore, there ought to be a law requiring doctors to report their patients who are experiencing or have experienced blackouts to the DMV.
We are not advocating keeping driver's licenses out of the hands of every epileptic, diabetic, cardiovascular patient or the mentally ill, if they are seizure, blackout, fainting and dizziness free as long as they take their medications and visit their physicians regularly. We are concerned about those who do not control or cannot control their seizures.
The law in New York State does require a patient that has had one epileptic seizure, to remain seizure-free for one year before driving again. We can't help but wonder if Juwah has stopped driving or turned in his license? Or does he continue to get behind the wheel and drive himself and his family around? Somehow, we suspect that the enforcement of the one-year seizure-free regulation is not fully or often followed.
It is time to get tough, enact laws that make sure that no one in Queens, the City or this state can lie to the DMV and be licensed to kill.