DRIVING SKILLS AFTER WHIPLASH

Previous studies have shown that some persons with longlasting problem s after whiplash have changed eye movements. These changes have been r elated to disturbance of the posture control system. The question rais ed in the present study is whether such disturbances can influence dai ly life functions connected with balance, position and external moveme nts, such as car driving. A group of 23 persons with disturbed eye mov ements due to whiplash injury, was tested in a driving simulator, toge ther with a closely matched control group. The results revealed signif icant differences between the two groups with respect to response time s to the traffic signs presented, identification of type of sign, as w ell as steering precision while the subjects' attention was directed t o the process of identifying the signs. Alternative explanations such as driving experience, pain, medication or malingering are at least pa rtly controlled for, but cannot completely be ruled out. A distorted p osture control system leading to disturbance of eye movements seems to be the most likely primary causative factor, but these disturbances a re most certainly complexly determined. Reduced attention capacity is considered to be a mediating secondary factor. Registration of eye mov ements may be a useful diagnostic tool to evaluate driving skill after whiplash.