Parkinson’s disease and driving ability

Objectives: To explore the driving problems associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and to ascertain whether any clinical features or tests predict driver safety. Methods: The driving ability of 154 individuals with PD referred to a driving assessment centre was determined by a combination of clinical tests, reaction times on a test rig and an in-car driving test. Results: The majority of cases (104, 66%) were able to continue driving although 46 individuals required an automatic transmission and 10 others needed car modifications. Ability to drive was predicted by the severity of physical disease, age, presence of other associated medical conditions, particularly dementia, duration of disease, brake reaction, time on a test rig and score on a driving test (all p