One of the most common issues that people have after suffering a traumatic brain injury is that it becomes more difficult—or even impossible—for them to drive a motor vehicle. There are a few specific areas in which these problems show up in Ontario.
On behalf of Joseph Caprara of CBLAW posted in Brain Injuries on Thursday, December 3, 2015.
One of the most common issues that people have after suffering a traumatic brain injury is that it becomes more difficult—or even impossible—for them to drive a motor vehicle. There are a few specific areas in which these problems show up in Ontario.
Remaining in the Lane
First off, some people have trouble just staying between the lines. The issue isn’t that they don’t have the physical ability, but that the TBI could make it easier for them to get distracted. Multi-tasking becomes impossible and they can only focus on one thing at a time. Therefore, if they are listening to music, talking to people in the car, listening to the GPS or doing any number of other things, they can’t focus on simply staying in the proper lane.
Adjusting to Traffic
Another related problem is that people sometimes can’t adjust to traffic. Their reaction times are slowed, often due to the distractions. When the car in front slows quickly—to avoid a deer or a pedestrian, for example—someone with a TBI may have a harder time reacting and slowing down in time to avoid an accident.
Reading Road Signs
Finally, a TBI can have an impact on a person’s vision. If everything is blurry or if the person simply has trouble reading due to the TBI, he or she may not be able to read road signs properly. This can lead to many issues, from missing an exit to going through a stop sign to breaking the speed limit.
If a traumatic brain injury has had a big impact on your life, be sure you know all of your legal rights.
Source: How Psychology Tests Brain Injury, “The most common negative effect: attentional problems in driving,” F. Kovács, accessed Dec. 03, 2015