Nurse Teaching on Safe Driving Instructions for Parkinson’s Patients

Nurse educated the patient and caregiver on safe driving instructions for Parkinson’s patient as follows:

  1. Driving promotes an individual’s personal freedom, control, and independence. Rigidity, sudden onset of episodes of freezing, and tremors in Parkinson’s patients can impair their ability for safe driving and increase risk for accidents.
  2. Slowed thought process in Parkinson’s patients can impair their ability to react quickly to road hazards, thus impairing quick application of brakes, timely turning of wheel, and slamming on the gas pedal as needed. Also, medications used to treat Parkinson’s disease can induce side-effects such as, dizziness, blurred vision, and confusion.
  3. All these factors contribute to compromised safety of the Parkinson’s individual, other passengers in the car, and the general public traveling on the road.  So, limiting driving and seeking caregiver assistance for rides or depending on public transport could be safer options for Parkinson’s patients.
  4. In the event of Parkinson’s patients resorting to driving, observing the following measures can improve the safety and reduce a collision risk.
  5. Observe compliance with medications for control of Parkinson’s disease, as ordered.
  6. Avoid driving in a fatigued state, especially in the late night hours, as blurred vision and confusion could be a common side-effects of medications taken for management of Parkinson’s disease.
  7. Avoid driving during the rush hour traffic, as the rigidity, sudden onset of episodes of freezing, tremors, and slowed thought process in Parkinson’s patients make wheel control and quicker response to traffic alerts difficult.
  8. Avoid all the distractions, such as, radio, talking over the phone, discussions with co-passengers, and drinking/eating, while driving. Focusing on the road and alerts can help improve safety and reduce the risk for collision.
  9. Highways and tollways can have higher speed limits to follow and offer little time to react in emergency situations. Taking sideroads and avoiding highways & tollways can also contribute to improved safety with driving.
  10. Keeping to the routinely taken familiar routes and using a GPS on nonfamiliar routes can help Parkinson’s patients prepare better for the oncoming road hazards, alerts, and turns. This can promote safety with driving for Parkinson’s patients.
  11. Having updates on weather for the driving route can help avoid driving in unfavorable weather conditions or prepare better for the hazards to come.
  12. Seek regular updates on your driving abilities from your doctor and therapist. Respect their input and be prepared to give up on driving, if recommended. Do not be compelled to drive, as it is just a habit hard to give up.
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