Driving skills in elderly persons with stroke: comparison of two new assessment options.

OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness of two methods of assessing off-road driving skills that claim to predict on-road driving fitness of persons with stroke. METHOD Fifty-six persons with stroke (age 44 to 82 yrs; mean, 60.2 yrs) completed the 2 off-road driving assessments along with standard clinical and on-road driving tests. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Linear stepwise regression on 4 variables of the Dynavision Performance Assessment Battery (DPAB), the Cognitive Behavioral Driver's Inventory (CBDI) variable (composite score), and the variables of age, gender, and lesion side. RESULTS A 4-minute endurance subtest from the DPAB was superior to the CBDI in predicting success/failure in the on-road driving test (75%). However, success on both the 4-minute endurance subtest from the DPAB and the CBDI tests significantly improved the prediction of on-road success. If participants passed the CBDI and the endurance test from the DPAB, they also passed the on-road assessment. CONCLUSION Driving fitness of elderly persons with stroke can be assessed with reasonable accuracy using off-road tests, minimizing the expense and risk associated with on-road assessments in this population.