The difference in the ability to perceive danger while driving and when crossing a road between patients after a stroke and a healthy population.

Abstract

Objective: Post-stroke patients' health conditions may have consequences on their ability to drive and walk safely as pedestrians. There are many studies on the driving ability of people after stroke, but hardly any research testing their hazard perception both as drivers and pedestrians. The main goals of this study were (a) to test the differences in hazard perception when crossing the road and driving between post-stroke participants and a control group of healthy individuals; (b) to evaluate whether skills for safe driving are correlated with safe road-crossing skills as pedestrians.

Methods: This cross-sectional study compared 30 post-stroke adults and 28 healthy age-matched controls. All participants were assessed using computerized tools to detect hazard perception both as drivers and pedestrians. Participants also completed questionnaires designed to classify their behavior as drivers and pedestrians.

Results: There was a significant difference in the hazard perception of pedestrians between post-stroke patients and controls, and a significant difference in their behavior. Post-stroke patients identified fewer hazards as pedestrians than the controls and reported fewer errors and aggressiveness incidences as drivers. The findings also show a strong significant correlation between their hazard perception as drivers and as pedestrians. The findings also show a significant correlation between their hazard perception as drivers and as pedestrians.

Conclusions: It is important to evaluate the hazard perception of potential drivers and pedestrians after a stroke. These assessments provide valuable indications of the patients' driving capability and their ability to cross the road safely. The correlation we found between the ability to detect hazards while watching videos of driving and crossing the road shows that clinicians need to pay special attention both to the ability to drive and to alternative ways of moving as pedestrians.