One Pennsylvania VA hospital is taking a proactive approach to helping elderly individuals and those living with brain injuries to improve and test their motor vehicle driving abilities. The VA began its driving rehabilitation program last year when the hospital purchased a large state-of-the-art virtual driving simulator to help individuals learn or re-learn offensive and defensive driving skills.
Patients involved in this new program participate in 90 minute virtual simulations involving different road scenarios such as skirting around kids on bikes, making your way around a crash scene and stopping at every red light and stop sign. Additionally, the program also helps develop skills for individuals who need special vehicles, such as those with hand controls and left-foot accelerators.
In addition to helping those with brain injuries, the program is largely utilized by elderly patients as well.
According to a recent news report and PennDOT, there were about 16,600 motor vehicle crashes involving drivers age 65 and older, resulting in 279 fatalities last year alone. No data was available regarding the number of car accidents involving those living with brain injuries in Pennsylvania.
Currently, Pennsylvania does not have age restrictions on driving. However, many groups are concerned that the desire of elderly individuals for independence often clashes with public safety concerns. Safety officials believe programs like this will help keep all Pennsylvania motorists safer.
The University of Pennsylvania Medical Center also has a similar Adaptive Driving Program, which it established in 2001, to help individuals facing Asperger's disorder, learning disabilities, spinal cord and brain injuries, peripheral vision problems, stroke and spina bifida, a birth defect that involves the incomplete development of the spinal cord or its coverings.
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