Conclusions
Patient knowledge regarding driving under the influence of medicines does not predict changes in driving behaviour. Rather, negative attitudes towards driving under the influence of medicines is a better predictor of changes in patients' driving behaviour.
Patients' knowledge is influenced by socio-demographic parameters such as age and educational level. Behavioural changes can be explained both in terms of changes in frequency of driving and in terms of changes in the use of driving-impairing medicines. Patients who experienced side effects and who have negative attitudes towards driving under the influence of impairing medicines are more prone to change their driving behaviour (positive influence in behaviour) than those who use motor vehicles on a daily basis or those who use anti-allergic medicines. Patients who experienced side effects and who have a good knowledge of risks of having road accidents seem to change the use of driving-impairing medicines more easily than those who come from the Netherlands or take antidepressant medicines.
Future research should focus on more effective ways to increase patient knowledge and to help patients' decision making towards driving behaviour and medication intake. This could be done by implementing new strategies of communication in order to prevent patients from driving under the influence of medicines. Special attention should be paid to healthcare providers as they are the main source of information for patients. By increasing healthcare provider awareness about medicines and driving, we believe that patient knowledge will also increase and as a consequence could be responsible for a decrease in patients' driving frequency or a stabilisation in patient behaviour regarding changes in the use of medicines.