The Neurocognitive Driving Test: Applying Technology to the Assessment of Driving Ability Following Brain Injury.

Abstract

Objective: To compare the Neurocognitive Driving Test (NDT) with an established driving assessment method. Study Design: A prospective matched-control study. Participants: Fifteen adult volunteers with acquired brain injury (ABI), aged 21–59 years, referred for a driving evaluation and 15 healthy control (HC) participants. Methods: Individuals with ABI were administered the NDT and a traditional hospital-based driving evaluation. An overall performance score was calculated and used to rank order driving ability. HCs were administered the NDT to establish NDT performance range. Main Outcome Measures: Overall performance on the NDT; overall performance on a comprehensive hospital-based evaluation. Results: Comparison of the rank orders of driving ability for participants with ABI revealed a significant Spearman correlation. NDT scores discriminated between individuals with ABI who passed the driving evaluation and those who failed. Conclusions: Results help establish the potential utility of the NDT for evaluating driving ability in persons with ABI. The physical and cognitive impairments that follow acquired brain injury (ABI) can make driving an automobile difficult, and this limitation often disrupts vocational, social, and domestic activities. Among individuals with brain injury, the cessation of driving has been related to difficulties in employment (Devani Serio & Devens, 1994), higher incidence of depression (LeghSmith, Wade, & Langton Hewer, 1986; Marottoli, De Loen, & Glass, 1997), and poor social integration (Dawson & Chipman,