Driving Evaluation Practices of Clinicians Working in the United States and Canada

This article reports on a study undertaken to determine the off-road and on-road driving evaluation practices of clinicians in the United States and Canada (n = 114) who assess individuals with disabilities for fitness to drive. Participants were attendees at the 2003 annual Association of Driver Educators for the Disabled with driving assessment experience ranging from 1 month to 25 years; all participants answered a self-administered questionnaire. Participants were primarily occupational therapists (68%) who worked in 42 different states and provinces. Their most prevalent clientele were persons with traumatic brain injury (97%) and stroke (96%). Testing times greater than 60 min were common for both the off-road (61%) and on-road (49%) evaluations. The clinicians used off-road assessments including the Brake Reaction Timer; Trail Making Test, Parts A and B; and the Motor Free Visual Perception Test; comprehensive computer- based driving evaluation was rare. A majority (61%) performed on-road evaluation of their clients, regardless of the off-road results. Finally, 78% used a standard driving route, whereas 24% used a scoring system to evaluate on-road driving. The authors conclude that present approaches to driving assessment are multidimensional, time-intensive, and non-standardized. The authors call for the implementation of guidelines or recommendations to help assure that clients receive a comparable assessment regardless of where they live or which driving evaluation service they visit.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/02729490
• Authors:
  • Korner-Bitensky, Nicol
  • Bitensky, Jamie
  • Sofer, Susan
  • Man-Son-Hing, Malcolm
  • Gelinas, Isabelle
• Publication Date: 2006-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 428-434
• Serial:
  • American Journal of Occupational Therapy
  • Volume: 60
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: American Occupational Therapy Association
  • ISSN: 0272-9490
  • Serial URL: http://ajot.aotapress.net/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abilities; Assessments; Driving tests; Guidelines; Reliability; Risk assessment
• Uncontrolled Terms: Brain injuries; Cognitive factors; Predictive factors; Stroke
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01045292
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 27 2007 5:24PM