The Impact of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Impairment on Driving Performance in Commercial Truck Drivers

Driving ability can be diminished amongst people with HIV with associated neurocognitive impairment (NCI). We explore the relationship between HIV status, NCI and driving ability in professional truck drivers. Forty male professional drivers (20 HIV-positive; mean age = 39.20 ± 7.05) completed a neuropsychological test battery, two driving simulator tasks that assessed driving ability, and a driving history and habits questionnaire. A higher proportion of HIV-positive drivers exhibited impaired overall cognitive performance (p ≤ 0.001). Overall, drivers with NCI (defined as z ≤ 1.00) were more likely than those without NCI to crash (p = 0.002). There were no significant between-group (HIV-positive versus HIV-negative) differences with regard to self-reported on-road driving events. Professional drivers with NCI, as measured on a driving simulator, are at increased risk of making driving errors under high-risk conditions compared to their neurocognitively normal counterparts. These data should inform driver health management with regard to annual medical screening and surveillance.