A Retrospective Study to Determine the Timing of Driving Resumption in Patients with Brain Injury

Abstract

Introduction：In this study, we conducted a retrospective investigation to determine when patients with brain damage could be tested and permitted to resume driving and also assessed reasons for disallowance. Subjects：A total of 279 patients with brain damage were included in the study. These patients underwent an assessment for driving resumption between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2020, either as in-patient in our hospital or attending as an outpatient. Method：Medical records were examined to ascertain details regarding timing of driving resumption, reason for disallowance, and number of outpatient training sessions. Results：Among the study participants, 233 patients were permitted to resume driving and 46 were not. Among permitted patients, 65 were hospitalized in our hospital at that time, 83 had been discharged from our hospital and were attending as outpatients, and 85 had been referred to our outpatient clinic from other hospitals. Among patients not permitted to drive, 6 were hospitalized in our hospital at the time, 17 had been discharged from our hospital and were attending as outpatients, and 23 had been referred from other hospitals. Conclusions：Evidence supporting driving resumption in patients who were brain damaged could not be determined while being hospitalized in convalescent rehabilitation wards. Hence, continued provision of outpatient rehabilitation therapy is important.