Abstract
This study was undertaken to validate the Car Driving Resumption Program （CDRP） effectiveness by investigating examination rates on the Extraordinary Aptitude Test （EAT） and the traffic accident rate per year. A questionnaire was sent by post to 78 patients with brain injury who took the CDRP at Niigata Rehabilitation Hospital consecutively during 2007–2011. Of the 44 patients who agreed to participate, 13 had stopped driving and were dropped from the study. Data of the remaining 31 subjects were used for analyses. The questionnaire items comprised questions about their driving situations: Q1, Do you currently drive a car?; Q2, Did you have the EAT at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Center?; Q3, Why did you stop driving a car?; Q4, Did you have a car accident or incident after resuming driving?; and Q5, What is the situation with respect to car accidents or incidents? This study assessed responses to Q2 and Q4. Our results for Q2 were compared with those of our previous study （2007） using chi-squared tests. The EAT examination rate was significantly higher than that of 2007. The annual traffic accident rate was about 2.6%, exhibiting a low tendency compared to those reported from previous studies. Findings from this study show that the use of a brochure and manual might increase EAT examination rate. Furthermore, results suggest that car driving evaluation, training, guidance, and advice might decrease the annual traffic accident rate of patients with brain injury.
