2010 BC Guide in Determining Fitness to Drive

16.8 Private and commercial drivers with drop attacksApplicationAssessment guidelinesFitness guidelinesOSMV determinationguidelinesConditionsRestrictionsRe-assessmentguidelinesPolicy rationaleThese guidelines apply to private and commercial drivers with dropattacks resulting from Tumarkin’s otolithic crisis.If further information regarding an individual’s medical condition isrequired, OSMV will request: a Driver’s Medical Examination Report, or additional information from the treating physician.Individuals may drive if: a doctor confirms the driver has been successfully treated, or 6 months has passed since the most recent drop attack.OSMV may find individuals fit to drive if: their treating physician indicates that the individual has beensuccessfully treated, or it has been at least 6 months since the last drop attack.OSMV will impose the following condition on an individual who isfound fit to drive: you must immediately stop driving and report to OSMV and yourphysician if you have a drop attack.No restrictions are required.If an attack occurred within the past 12 months, OSMV will re-assessin one year. If no new attacks are reported at that time, OSMV willre-assess in 5 years, or in accordance with the schedule for routinecommercial or age-related re-assessment. If no new attacks arereported at that time, no further re-assessment is required, other thanroutine commercial or age-related re-assessment.For drop attacks, which occur without warning, evidence that furtherattacks are unlikely to occur is required to mitigate the risk.Consensus medical opinion suggests that this evidence should be anopinion from the treating physician that the driver has beensuccessfully treated or that 6 months has passed without an attack.157