Syncope while driving: how safe is safe?

As healthcare providers, our primary role is the diagnosis and management of the medical conditions of our patients. These medical conditions have an important impact on their personal lives as well as social situations. One of the most critical such interactions between a patient’s medical condition and society is syncope as it relates to driving. In our society, there is a constant conflict between the rights of the individual and the good of society. Just as limits are placed on the rights of individuals, limits are placed on the rights of society to restrict the actions of its members.