Can I drive safely after stroke? This is the first question that comes to the mind of a stroke survivor. It could be possible that stroke can impair your ability to drive, but it is very much possible to get back to the driver’s seat again. Here’s a guide to driving safely while overcoming stroke-led challenges.

Be sure

If you have made up your mind to resume driving again, it is a sign that you are progressing. To return to driving could be an overwhelming experience, which is why you must not put a pause on your stroke rehabilitation exercises so that you continue recovering and be sure of your decision to drive again.

Talk to a therapist

It is important to receive the right amount of guidance if you are willing to drive after the stroke. In that case, seeing an occupational therapist can help. Put forth your concerns and try to understand the basic solution to the problem.

Attend confidence building classes

It is noticed that a stroke survivor loses out on his confidence after a stroke. He might not be able to take up tasks with boosted morale as it is common to experience weakness and other certain motor impairments. To handle such situations, it is advised to attend some confidence building sessions and workshops. This could be one of the best ways to be completely attentive to something like driving.

Start small

Driving after a stroke is a big deal for few people. If you are one of them, make sure that you start driving in your locality rather than going on large roads with traffic. While you may eagerly want to get back to driving, you must understand that driving again may require certain cognitive skills like concentration, navigation, multi-tasking and making quick decisions. After a stroke, you might not be able to take quick decisions or solve problems on your own. This is why hiring a driving instructor could save you from trouble in the beginning. It is always wise to take up refresher lessons and begin again.

Use specially adapted cars

It is noticed that a person feels tired and low on energy after a stroke. If you are a severe stroke survivor, you might not be physically prepared to take on the driver’s seat because driving in such a state can lead to excessive weakness and you might have to stop in the middle. In such case, it is wise to start with specially adapted cars that come with motoring accessories and vehicle adaptations.

This Blog is contributed by Dr. Deepak Kr. Nain. He is a certified therapist who specializes in the field of rehabilitation. Deepak possesses a clinical expertise in prescribing the best solutions to help people with neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS).