Assessment of the Evaluation Procedures of Drivers with Disabilities

Abstract

Surveys were sent to 403 driver evaluators and trainers throughout the United States whose clientele includes persons with disabilities, and 138 responses (35%) were received from 44 states. Most of the respondents were experienced evaluators, and 62% were occupational therapists. They were asked to report on the methods, equipment, and criteria used when assessing an individual's ability to drive. The measurement of specific driving characteristics (i.e., brake reaction time, steering force) was reported as being more important than measuring nonspecific physical characteristics (i.e., range of motion, grip strength), yet only one half of the respondents measured most of the defined driving characteristics. Most characteristics were measured through observation or a functional test rather than by using equipment. The overwhelming majority of evaluators used subjective criteria or no criteria when judging the findings of a test. Despite these results, two thirds of the evaluators reported being satisfied with their current evaluation equipment.