Abstract
Problem Statement: There is a need to determine whether a brain-injured person can return to driving from the viewpoint of a healthy individual's driving abilities and characteristics. Accordingly, this study investigated the attention function and driving characteristics of healthy middle-aged and older female drivers in a region with a high level of automobile dependence, and examined their relationship with traffic violations and accidents.
Methodology: Participants were 81 healthy female drivers, with a mean age of 64.4 ± 8.4 years, whose incidences of traffic violations and accidents, attention function, and driving characteristics were examined. Attention function was evaluated using Trail Making Test Part A, Trail Making Test Part B, and Symbol Digit Modalities Test. Participants were divided into two groups according to whether they had been involved in traffic violations or accidents. Statistical comparisons were performed.
Results: Drivers who experienced violations and accidents exhibited reduced attention function in the Trail Making Test Part A assessments. Trail Making Test Part B and Symbol Digit Modalities Test were unrelated to driving risk. Driving characteristics showed differences between the two groups.
Conclusion: In addition to attention function, potential personality changes and awareness of disease after brain damage may affect the driving function of people with brain damage, in addition to their driving characteristics and personality traits from before the brain damage. In the future, we aim to conduct a survey of drivers with brain diseases to help determine criteria for whether a person with a brain injury can return to driving.
