Driving Simulation Can Improve Insight into Impaired Driving Skills in Cirrhosis

Background Ambulatory surgical patients are advised to refrain from driving for 24 h postoperatively. However, currently there is no strong evidence to show that driving skills and alertness have resumed in patients by 24 h after general anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether impaired driver alertness had been restored to normal by 2 and 24 h after general anesthesia in patients who underwent ambulatory surgery. Methods Twenty patients who underwent left knee arthroscopic surgery were studied. Their driving simulation performance, electroencephalographically verified parameters of sleepiness, subjective assessment of sleepiness, fatigue, alertness, and pain were measured preoperatively and 2 and 24 h postoperatively. The same measurements were performed in a matched control group of 20 healthy individuals. Results Preoperatively, patients had significantly higher attention lapses and lower alertness levels versus normal controls. Significantly impaired driving skills and alertness, including longer reaction time, higher occurrence of attention lapses, and microsleep intrusions, were found 2 h postoperatively versus preoperatively. No significantly differences were found in any driving performance parameters or electroencephalographically verified parameters 24 h postoperatively versus preoperatively. Conclusions Patients showed lower alertness levels and impaired driving skills preoperatively and 2 h postoperatively. Based on driving simulation performance and subjective assessments, patients are safe to drive 24 h after general anesthesia.

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Driving on ice: impaired driving skills in current methamphetamine users

Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1007/s00213-012-2805-y ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 225 (1) ◽

pp. 161-172 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

David Bosanquet ◽

Hamish G. MacDougall ◽

Stephen J. Rogers ◽

Graham A. Starmer ◽

Rebecca McKetin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Impaired Driving ◽

Driving Skills

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Avoidance Behavior Is an Independent Indicator of Poorer On-road Driving Skills in Older Adults

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gbz063 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 75 (10) ◽

pp. 2152-2161 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Philipp Schulz ◽

Thomas Beblo ◽

Stefan Spannhorst ◽

Kirsten Labudda ◽

Thomas Wagner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Avoidance Behavior ◽

Cognitive Skills ◽

Older Drivers ◽

Impaired Driving ◽

Driving Skills ◽

Reported Health ◽

Bad Weather ◽

The Relationship ◽

Independent Indicator

Abstract Objectives The aim of the current work was to investigate the relationship between avoidance of specific driving situations and on-road driving skills in older drivers considering factors found to be related to both avoidance behavior and driving skills. Method Seventy-two older drivers (M = 76 years) from the general population were included in this study. Self-reported avoidance behavior, driving practice, perceived driving difficulties, driving-related cognitive functions, as well as medical conditions were assessed within two sessions. Standardized on-road assessments served for assessing on-road driving skills in a third session. Results Self-reported avoidance behavior was associated with reduced driving skills (r = −.41), and this relationship remained significant beyond the influence of cognitive skills, self-reported health, driving practice, and perceived driving difficulties. Specifically, avoidance of driving in bad weather, poor visibility and complicated parking was found to be associated with reduced driving skills. Discussion This study suggest that avoidance behavior is an independent indicator of impaired driving skills in older drivers. Our results argue against the assumption that avoidance behavior may be a reasonable strategy for safe traffic participation. Longitudinal studies are urgently needed to get more evidence on safety aspects of avoidance behavior.

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S1964 Patients with Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy Have Poor Insight Into Their Driving Skills

Gastroenterology ◽

10.1016/s0016-5085(08)63705-1 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 134 (4) ◽

pp. A-793

Author(s):

Jasmohan S. Bajaj ◽

Muhammad Hafeezullah ◽

Raymond G. Hoffmann ◽

Thomas A. Hammeke ◽

Kia Saeian

Keyword(s):

Hepatic Encephalopathy ◽

Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy ◽

Driving Skills ◽

Insight Into

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Exam 2: Patients With Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy Have Poor Insight Into Their Driving Skills

Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology ◽

10.1016/j.cgh.2008.08.023 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 6 (10) ◽

pp. 1065

Author(s):

Michael B. Fallon

Keyword(s):

Hepatic Encephalopathy ◽

Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy ◽

Driving Skills ◽

Insight Into

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Preliminary Validation of a Questionnaire Covering Risk Factors for Impaired Driving Skills in Elderly Patients

Geriatrics ◽

10.3390/geriatrics1010005 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 5 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Philipp Schulz ◽

Stefan Spannhorst ◽

Thomas Beblo ◽

Christine Thomas ◽

Stefan Kreisel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Impaired Driving ◽

Driving Skills ◽

Preliminary Validation

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Foggy perception slows us down

eLife ◽

10.7554/elife.00031 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Paolo Pretto ◽

Jean-Pierre Bresciani ◽

Gregor Rainer ◽

Heinrich H Bülthoff

Keyword(s):

Visual Scene ◽

Driving Simulation ◽

Global Level ◽

Low Contrast ◽

Driving Speed ◽

Per Se ◽

Visual Speed ◽

Perceived Speed ◽

First Time ◽

Insight Into

Visual speed is believed to be underestimated at low contrast, which has been proposed as an explanation of excessive driving speed in fog. Combining psychophysics measurements and driving simulation, we confirm that speed is underestimated when contrast is reduced uniformly for all objects of the visual scene independently of their distance from the viewer. However, we show that when contrast is reduced more for distant objects, as is the case in real fog, visual speed is actually overestimated, prompting drivers to decelerate. Using an artificial anti-fog—that is, fog characterized by better visibility for distant than for close objects, we demonstrate for the first time that perceived speed depends on the spatial distribution of contrast over the visual scene rather than the global level of contrast per se. Our results cast new light on how reduced visibility conditions affect perceived speed, providing important insight into the human visual system.

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