Automobile Driving ; China ; Humans ; Seat Belts ; utilization

Humans ; Accidents, Traffic ; Automobile Driving ; Risk Factors

Workplace violence is related to various health effects including mental illness such as anxiety or depression. In this study, the relationship between the experience of workplace violence and depression in substitute drivers in Korea, namely, daeri drivers, was investigated. To assess workplace violence, questions regarding types and frequency of the experience of violence over the past year were asked to the daeri drivers. In order to assess the risk of depression, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale was used. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals of depression were estimated using multiple logistic regression analysis. All of the daeri drivers had experienced instance of verbal violence while driving and 66 of the drivers (34.1%) had been in such a situation more than once in the past quarter of a year. Sixty-eight daeri drivers (42.2%) had experienced certain type of physical violence over the past year. Compared to daeri drivers who had experienced workplace verbal violence less than 4 times and who had not experienced workplace physical violence over the past year, higher odds ratio was observed in daeri drivers who had experienced workplace verbal violence or physical violence, more than 4 times and more than one time respectively, after adjustment. Experience of verbal or physical type of workplace violence over the past year increased the risk of depression in the daeri drivers. Because violence against drivers can compromise the safety of the driver, the customer, and all the passengers, it is imperative that the safety and health of daeri drivers be highlighted.
Adult ; Aged ; *Automobile Driving/psychology ; Depression/epidemiology/*etiology ; Driving Under the Influence/prevention & control/psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Health ; Odds Ratio ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; *Workplace Violence

Driver rehabilitation is a component of rehabilitation medicine that specifically focuses on the evaluation and retraining of drivers who have medical conditions that may affect driving capacity. Automobile driving is an instrumental activity of daily living and driver rehabilitation needs a comprehensive approach guided by rehabilitation specialist. Drivers who need evaluation include brain damaged drivers, such as stroke and traumatic brain injury; older drivers, especially those who are suspicious as having dementia; and drivers with psychiatric illnesses. Driver evaluation is constituted of pre-driving (in-clinic) evaluation and behind-the-wheel evaluation. In-clinic evaluation includes history taking and physical examination that focuses on visual, motor and cognitive function. Details of in-clinic evaluation are discussed. Driving performance can be evaluated during simulated or on-road driving or both. Driver retraining can also be done using driving simulator or real automobile equipped with adaptive devices. It is predicted that increasing aged population raises the need for driver evaluation and rehabilitation in the near future. Concerns and participation for rehabilitation specialists in driver rehabilitation is requested.
Aged ; Automobile Driving ; Automobiles ; Brain ; Humans ; Physical Examination ; Specialization ; Stroke

Automobile Driving ; psychology ; Burnout, Professional ; prevention & control ; Emotions ; Humans ; Railroads

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between cognitive perceptual abilities of elderly drivers based on the Cognitive Perceptual Assessment for Driving (CPAD) test and their accident and penalty histories. METHODS: A total of 168 elderly drivers (aged ≥65 years) participated in the study. Participant data included CPAD scores and incidents of traffic accidents and penalties, attained from the Korea Road Traffic Authority and Korea National Police Agency, respectively. RESULTS: Drivers' mean age was 70.25±4.1 years and the mean CPAD score was 52.75±4.72. Elderly drivers' age was negatively related to the CPAD score (p<0.001). The accident history group had marginally lower CPAD scores, as compared to the non-accident group (p=0.051). However, incidence rates for traffic fines did not differ significantly between the two groups. Additionally, the group that passed the CPAD test had experienced fewer traffic accidents (3.6%), as compared to the group that failed (10.6%). The older age group (12.0%) had also experienced more traffic accidents, as compared to the younger group (2.4%). CONCLUSION: Overall, elderly drivers who experienced driving accidents had lower CPAD scores than those who did not, without statistical significance. Thus, driving-related cognitive abilities of elderly drivers with insufficient cognitive ability need to be further evaluated to prevent traffic accidents.
Accidents, Traffic ; Aged* ; Automobile Driving ; Cognition ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Police

In Korea, current status of epilepsy and driving are challenging and there are lack of formal legal guidelines about driving in patients with epilepsy. According to the default standards in Korean Road Traffic law, patients with epilepsy are restricted or prohibited from driving except who are conditionally allowed to drive by the Aptitude Judgement Committee (AJC). Though the AJC consist of medical doctors and traffic officials, new regulation and guidelines are required for various type of seizure and characteristics of patients with epilepsy. This review outlines the current applicable legislation about epilepsy and driving in Korea as well as that of the overseas country calling for new laws to establish a consistent assessment.
Accidents, Traffic ; Aptitude ; Automobile Driving ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Seizures

BACKGROUND: There are few studies about driving and dementia in Korea. The purpose of this study is to investigate the real condition of automobile driving in patients with dementia and the characteristics of those who continue to drive after diagnosis of dementia. METHODS: A total of 4,377 patients including 3,792 with Alzheimer's disease and 585 with vascular dementia were recruited from multiple nationwide hospitals. Clinical evaluations and neuropsychological tests were done in them according to the protocol of the Clinical Research Center for Dementia of South Korea study. Caregivers replied which patients drove an automobile, gave up driving, or has never driven. The same evaluations of them were followed after one year. RESULTS: There were 272 (6.2%) drivers, 321 (7.3%) ex-drivers, and 3,784 (86.5%) non-drivers with dementia. Drivers with dementia were younger and had higher Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) (21.5+/-4.3 vs 19.8+/-5.1 vs 17.4+/-5.2, p<0.001) and lower Clinical Dementia Rating scale-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) scores (4.08+/-2.15 vs 5.80+/-3.41 vs 5.83+/-3.39, p<0.001) compared with ex-drivers and non-drivers with dementia. The drivers and ex-drivers with dementia had higher educational level and a higher proportion of male compared with non-drivers with dementia (77.6% vs 80.1% vs 23.3%, p<0.001). About 54.6% of the drivers with dementia continued to drive at one year after diagnosis of dementia. They had higher K-MMSE (23.2+/-3.6 vs 20.8+/-4.5, p=0.003) and lower CDR-SB scores (3.30+/-1.47 vs 4.40+/-1.85, p=0.001) at baseline compared with those who quitted driving after baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Male patients who were relatively young and had high educational level and mild dementia had a tendency to drive an automobile at that time of diagnosis of dementia. About half of them continued to drive after diagnosis of dementia.
Alzheimer Disease ; Automobile Driving ; Automobiles ; Caregivers ; Dementia* ; Dementia, Vascular ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Neuropsychological Tests

BACKGROUND: In Korea, the law to restrict epilepsy patients from driving automobiles does not exist. However, the need for a regulatory law is controversial due to conflicting interests of the right to drive and the safety of those on the road. We investigated the opinions of Korean neurologists on this matter. METHODS: 223 neurologists participated in this survey. They answered a questionnaire comprised of 15 questions. RESULTS: The results of the survey are as follows: the regulation should be legislated (94.6%), the decision on the patient's driving must be done by the doctor (83.4%), the patient's driving is reported obligatorily (33.2%), the duration for the restriction should be 24 months (30%), the renewal of the driving license should be done every other year, the escaping rebuke for the reporter is also needed (90.6%), and the draft for the regulation should be composed by the Korean Epilepsy Society (74%). CONCLUSIONS: Many Korean neurologists agree that regulation of epilepsy patients who want to drive is needed. The new regulatory law should include general and individual restrictions based upon the conditions made by the Korean Epilepsy Society and must be accepted by the patients and other members of the society. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(5):485~488, 2001)
Automobile Driving ; Automobiles ; Epilepsy* ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Licensure ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; United Nations

BACKGROUND: Although the law to restrict the automobile driving of epilepsy patients is existed in Korea, it is not clear. We investigated the opinions of doctors who treat the epilepsy patients on this matter. METHODS: 296 doctors, including neurologists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, and pediatricians, participated in this survey. The questionnaire was composed of 15 questions. RESULTS: Their opinions are as follows : the regulation should be legislated (95.3%), the decision on the patient's driving must be done by the doctor (79.1%), the patient's driving is reported obligatorily (34.1%), the seizure free interval for license should be more than 24 months (61.1%), the renewal of the driving license needs to be done every other year, the escaping rebuke for the reporter is also needed (89.5%), and the draft for the law should be composed by the Korean Epilepsy Society (77%). CONCLUSIONS: Many doctors who treat the epilepsy patients agree that the new law to restrict the epilepsy patient's automobile driving is needed. The new law including general and individual restrictions, considering several conditions and made by Korean Epilepsy Society must be accepted by the patients and other members of the society.
Accidents, Traffic ; Automobile Driving ; Epilepsy* ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Licensure ; Psychiatry ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seizures ; United Nations