Driving Behaviour in Depression Based on Subjective Evaluation and Data from a Driving Simulator

Vagioula Tsoutsi (), Maria Papadakaki, George Yannis, Dimosthenis Pavlou, Maria Basta, Joannes Chliaoutakis and Dimitris Dikeos
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Vagioula Tsoutsi: First Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece
Maria Papadakaki: Laboratory of Health and Road Safety, Department of Social Work, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Crete, Greece
George Yannis: Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15773 Athens, Greece
Dimosthenis Pavlou: Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15773 Athens, Greece
Maria Basta: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71500 Crete, Greece
Joannes Chliaoutakis: Laboratory of Health and Road Safety, Department of Social Work, School of Health Sciences, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Crete, Greece
Dimitris Dikeos: First Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: Road traffic collisions are a major issue for public health. Depression is characterized by mental, emotional and executive dysfunction, which may have an impact on driving behaviour. Patients with depression (N = 39) and healthy controls (N = 30) were asked to complete questionnaires and to drive on a driving simulator in different scenarios. Driving simulator data included speed, safety distance from the preceding vehicle and lateral position. Demographic and medical information, insomnia (Athens Insomnia Scale, AIS), sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale, ESS), fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale, FSS), symptoms of sleep apnoea (StopBang Questionnaire) and driving (Driver Stress Inventory, DSI and Driver Behaviour Questionnaire, DBQ) were assessed. Gender and age influenced almost all variables. The group of patients with depression did not differ from controls regarding driving behaviour as assessed through questionnaires; on the driving simulator, patients kept a longer safety distance. Subjective fatigue was positively associated with aggression, dislike of driving, hazard monitoring and violations as assessed by questionnaires. ESS and AIS scores were positively associated with keeping a longer safety distance and with Lateral Position Standard Deviation (LPSD), denoting lower ability to keep a stable position. It seems that, although certain symptoms of depression (insomnia, fatigue and somnolence) may affect driving performance, patients drive more carefully eliminating, thus, their impact.

Keywords: depression; sleep disorders; driving behaviour; driving simulator (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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