Foundational Study on the Simple Detection of Impairment Resulting in Dangerous Driving in Patients with Higher Brain Dysfunction

Abstract

Objectives: We performed a survey of medical records to reveal the cognitive deficits behind dangerous driving in patients with higher brain dysfunction.

Methods: Thirty-four patients with higher brain dysfunction were included in this study. Patients’ basic characteristics, neuropsychological test results, scores on two types of driving aptitude tests, and accident/near miss data from a driving simulator were extracted from medical records. We conducted χ² tests for independence between comprehensive driving aptitude scores and “traffic accidents” / “being prohibited from driving as defined by the number of traffic accidents and near misses.” Backward logistic regression analysis was carried out to assess correlations of “traffic accidents” and “being prohibited from driving as defined by the number of traffic accidents and near misses” with neuropsychological test scores.

Results: No significant correlation was observed between the comprehensive driving aptitude score and “traffic accidents” / “being prohibited from driving as defined by the number of traffic accidents and near misses.” The score on the Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices test was the only factor identified as a significant predictor of “being prohibited from driving as defined by the number of traffic accidents and near misses.”

Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that it is important to focus on the decline in problem-solving ability as a predictor of “being prohibited from driving as defined by the number of traffic accidents and near misses.”