The Contribution of a Driving Simulator in the Driving Evaluation of Stroke and Disabled Adolescent Clients

Abstract

A component of the driving evaluation in the Occupational Therapy Department at The Rehabilitation Centre is a Doron Driving Simulator. There are limited formal evaluations of simulator usefulness reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate the contribution of the Doron Driving Simulator in the driving evaluation of stroke and disabled adolescent clients. Data collected included historical information and print-outs of the simulator scores, as well as subjective information from the clients. These data were collected in two phases for 56 clients referred for a driving evaluation. Results were compared between phases and between client groups. The benefits of simulator use included appropriate assessment of driving aids, perceived improvement in client self-confidence related to driving, and scores predictive of satisfactory on road performance for each group. The major difference in the use of the simulator between client groups was that it served as a training tool for basic driving skills for the adolescents. For the stroke clients it provided a basic evaluation with little training benefit before going on the road. Less therapist time was required for effective simulator use than was initially perceived. The simulator appears to be an important adjunct to the therapists' observations and on road evaluation in the driving evaluation process.