The Challenge
A 75-year-old male suffering from memory loss was referred for DriveABLE testing because his son was concerned about his driving. The patient had lost his way home twice and had started making errors while paying his bills. MRI’s had shown mild cerebral atrophy while he exhibited several comorbid medical conditions including diabetes, CAD, COPD, and OSA. In addition, the patient was also currently prescribed multiple medications.
The Solution
- The patient was tested with a DriveABLE assessment to determine the probability of a potential incident in an on-road test.
- Both the DriveABLE Cognitive Assessment Tool (DCAT) and the DriveABLE On-Road Evaluation (DORE) were developed through 8 years of university research.
- The DCAT is the only cognitive assessment tool shown to be highly predictive of actual on-road performance.
- The test took 45 minutes to complete and was administered by a certified technician who guided the client through the process thoroughly before each task was started.
On-Road Risk Factors
This client had a high probability of creating a hazardous situation in a specialized on-road test as compared to individuals scoring within the range of normal on the DCAT. His assessment expressed that he would have a:
- 4.8x increase in risk that intervention would be required by the evaluator or another road user to prevent a potential collision on a specialized on-road test.
- 6.6x increase in risk of specialized on-road evaluation being aborted by an evaluator due to safety reasons
The Results
The DCAT report for the client returned with an 84% predicted probability of failing a specialized on-road test, placing him outside the range of normal.
The report identifies the areas of cognitive deficit and provides an on-road risk analysis in order to give the physician a broader picture of the patient’s needs.
What does “outside the range” of normal mean?
73% to 99% is outside the range of normal.
Cognitive competence for driving should be considered outside the range of normal based on having a greater statistical probability of failing a DORE due to performing a hazardous or extremely dangerous maneuver(s). Until there is a significant change in medical condition or a change in medication use, resulting in an improvement in cognitive function, driving suspension or cessation should be seriously considered. Should significant positive change occur, reassessment would be recommended.
