For nearly a year, simple everyday tasks became complicated for Sara Carson.
The 33-year-old Charleroi mother of two couldn’t drive herself to medical appointments, take her children to activities, or make quick trips without first coordinating with family members for a ride.
“It’s been a very trying season,” Carson said.
Her journey began in August 2025, when she was flown by Allegheny Health Network (AHN) LifeFlight to AHN Allegheny General Hospital after experiencing what appeared to be a stroke. She lost her ability to speak and developed a severe stutter. Doctors later determined her symptoms were related to functional neurological disorder (FND), a condition that affects how the brain and nervous system communicate.
Soon after, Carson began experiencing seizure-like episodes. She described feeling tingling in her legs before her body would become difficult to move and she would temporarily zone out. Some episodes lasted several minutes, with the longest lasting approximately 20 minutes.
Carson began seeing Andrea Synowiec, DO, System Vice Chair for the Department of Neurology at AHN, who worked with her through diagnosis and treatment. After one particularly difficult day when episodes were happening every few hours, Carson was admitted to the hospital for video EEG (electroencephalogram) monitoring to determine whether she was experiencing epileptic seizures.
Thankfully, testing showed she did not have epilepsy. However, because her episodes presented similarly to seizures and affected her ability to safely operate a vehicle, Carson still faced driving restrictions.
Under Pennsylvania’s previous regulations, Carson would have been required to remain seizure-free for six months before regaining her license.
Her last episode occurred on Dec. 29, 2025. Under the previous rule, she would not have been eligible to drive again until July 2026.
But a change in Pennsylvania law, one that Dr. Synowiec helped champion, shortened that waiting period from six months to three months.
Because Carson was doing well and the updated regulations were in place, she was able to begin the process of getting her driving privileges restored.
“I couldn’t believe that I was going to be able to drive again,” Carson said. “I was shocked.”
The change represents a major shift for thousands of Pennsylvanians living with epilepsy and seizure disorders who have faced long periods without the independence that comes with driving.
For Carson, it means more than getting behind the wheel again. It means being able to take her son to baseball practices and games, drive herself to medical appointments, and reduce the burden on her family.
“Without them, I honestly don’t know what I would have done,” she said.
The new regulation, which took effect March 28, brings Pennsylvania in line with recommendations from the American Epilepsy Society, the American Academy of Neurology, and the Epilepsy Foundation of America, which have supported a three-month standard for decades.
Dr. Synowiec, who serves on the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Medical Advisory Board, has been advocating for the change for several years.
“Our state laws weren’t in line with current medical guidelines,” said Dr. Synowiec. “This change was a long time coming.”
The PennDOT Medical Advisory Board, a multidisciplinary group of physicians, legal experts, and public health professionals, reviewed clinical research, public safety data, and the impact on patients before unanimously supporting the change.
Research shows that longer driving restrictions do not necessarily lead to safer roads. In fact, extended restrictions can sometimes discourage patients from reporting seizures because of the fear of losing their independence for a prolonged period.
“When you tell someone they can’t drive for six months or longer, they’re going to lose their job, so a lot of them drive anyway,” Dr. Synowiec said. “Three months is the highest-risk time, and it’s a short enough window that people are more likely to obey the law.”
The updated regulation still requires physician reporting of seizure activity, ensuring doctors remain involved in determining when patients can safely return to driving.
Epilepsy affects more than 3.4 million Americans, including an estimated 169,000 to more than 200,000 people in Pennsylvania living with epilepsy or another seizure disorder. While epilepsy can have many causes, including genetics, stroke, infection, or injury, advances in medications and treatments have improved seizure control for many patients.
Dr. Synowiec says the regulation change strikes an important balance: protecting public safety while recognizing the importance of independence and quality of life.
“This is a meaningful step forward for patients across the commonwealth,” she said. “It reflects what medicine has known for years and what patients have needed for just as long. People shouldn’t be afraid to talk to their doctors about a seizure and get the care they need. Our streets will be safer because of it.”