Effect of hours driving on safe driving among patients with cerebral stroke or brain injury whose driving performance was approved by the real driving test

Abstract

This research investigated safe driving for post–stroke/brain injury patients who had tried to resume driving. Using a questionnaire, we obtained 80 responses from patients who had passed the real driving test; 59 drove without incidents, while 21 experienced accidents and/or violations. No statistically significant data comparing the neurocognitive performances between these 2 groups were collected, retrospectively. However, only the non–incident group showed a significantly shorter driving time per week after resuming driving compared to before onset of disease (p<0.05). We conclude that driving without incidents after cerebral stroke or brain injury can be sustained with appropriate adaptation to a lifestyle with automobiles. It is important for occupational therapists to advise patients to limit driving before the onset of brain fatigue and to consider transportation alternatives in order to prevent long drive and excessive frequent short–time driving.