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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
11:12
Driving Simulation in the Clinic: Testing Visual Exploratory Behavior in Daily Life Activities in Patients with Visual Field Defects
Published on: September 18, 2012
Mental illness and road safety.
C de Las Cuevas Castresana1, Ej Sanz Alvarez
1Psychiatry Department, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Laguna, Campus de Ofra, s/n San Cristóbal de La Laguna, 38071 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. cdelascuevas@gmail.com
Actas Espanolas De Psiquiatria
|April 30, 2009
Summary
Most psychiatric outpatients with driver's licenses failed driving tests due to impaired psychomotor skills. Few patients disclosed their conditions, highlighting a critical need for awareness regarding driving competence in psychiatric populations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Traffic Safety
Background:
- Psychiatric disorders and their treatments can impair cognitive and psychomotor functions essential for safe driving.
- These impairments may affect perception, information processing, and reaction times, posing risks to drivers and others.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the driving competence of psychiatric outpatients who hold driver's licenses and drive regularly.
- To evaluate the impact of psychiatric conditions on the ability to perform driving-related tasks.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the accredited LNDETER 100 battery, an electronic assessment unit, to measure driving-related abilities.
- Assessed a sample of psychiatric outpatients with existing driver's licenses in various clinical scenarios.
Main Results:
- Only 24 out of 120 patients (20%) passed all required driving tests.
- A significant majority (80%) failed at least one test, indicating widespread deficits in driving-related skills.
- None of the patients reported their psychiatric condition to authorities, and 10% acknowledged some driving ability deterioration.
Conclusions:
- Psychiatric patients with compromised psychomotor performance represent a significant concern for healthcare professionals regarding driving safety.
- The findings underscore the importance of addressing the clinical, ethical, and legal implications of driving competence in this population.
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