title: Return to driving after severe traumatic brain injury:  increased risk of traffic accidents and personal responsibility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of road traffic accidents among individuals who start or resume driving after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to investigate their responsibility for these accidents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational/retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty adults with severe TBI and their caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Return to Driving Questionnaire and Glasgow Outcome Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty of the 60 participants started to drive or resumed driving after TBI. Nineteen (63%) of them were involved in traffic accidents, with personal responsibility in 26 of 36 after return to driving. Participants caused a significantly higher number of accidents after TBI than before.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ability to drive is frequently compromised after severe TBI. Specific rehabilitation of this complex activity should be a main goal of social reintegration programs in this population.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy. u.bivona@hsantalucia.it
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bivona
authors.forename: Mariagrazia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DʼIppolito
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giustini
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vignally
authors.forename: Eloise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taggi
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Formisano
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012449:Safety; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult