Validity and Usability of a Safe Driving Behavior Measure for Older Adults

Details

• Creators:
  Classen, Sherrilene ; Velozo, C. ; Winter, S. ; Wang, Y. ; Lanford, D.
• Corporate Creators:
  University of Florida
• Corporate Contributors:
  Florida. Department of Transportation
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Drivers
  • High risk drivers
  • Aged drivers
  • Elder road users
  • Aging drivers
  • Screening
  • Safe mobility
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Florida
• Edition:
  Final report; 04/11/2011-04/15/2012.
• Corporate Publisher:
  Florida Department of Transportation
• Abstract:
  With the aging of the Baby Boomers and ensuing Gray Tsunami in Florida leading the USA, older ; drivers who are unfit to drive must be identified. The gold standard on-road test is expensive, ; sophisticated, not available to many older drivers, and can only be validly conducted by a certified ; driver rehabilitation specialist of whom we have about 500 in the nation. To overcome these limitations, ; we have developed the Fitness-to-Drive Screening Measure (FTDS, previously known as the Safe ; Driving Behavior Measure or SDBM), a free web-based tool ready for use by certified driver ; rehabilitation specialists (CDRS), occupational therapy practitioners, other health care professionals, ; and the caregivers/ family members of older drivers. This study used mixed methods, including item ; response theory, to refine self-report and proxy versions of a screening tool measuring driving behaviors ; of older adults, the SDBM. Understanding a driver’s level of ability or difficulty with driving behaviors ; is a critical step providing a logical entry point for effective interventions, identifying optimal training ; parameters, and predicting future driving ability. We determined measurement properties for the ; SDBM, including validity (face, content, construct and criterion validity), factor structure, ; dimensionality, and item/person-level psychometrics. We determined the rater severity of the three rater ; groups (older driver, caregiver, and driving evaluator) and the criterion validity of the SDBM in relation ; to the reputed gold standard, on-road driving evaluation. Lastly, we developed the SDBM as a Web- ; based tool, including keyforms (rating profiles), ratings-based driver categories (i.e., basic, routine, and ; accomplished), each with targeted recommendations (i.e., next steps to assist in determining fitness to ; drive or to support driver health, knowledge, and skills). The findings suggest that this measure may be ; useful for: (1) family members/ caregivers to identify at-risk older drivers and to follow logical next ; steps based on keyform recommendations; (2) occupational therapy practitioners to identify an entry ; point for further interventions or referrals; and (3) CDRS to develop realistic and targeted intervention goals to promote driving fitness. However, although not empirically tested, we also believe that this ; tool, available on-line: http://fitnesstodrive.phhp.ufl.edu, will have applicability to be used or ; disseminated among other health care practitioners, agents of the aging network, and stakeholders of the ; Safe Mobility for Life Coalition, in Florida.
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• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  BDK77 977-17
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/25051/dot_25051_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 923.82 KB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:b1a95ad6e9d30d0383534c1ac83718fc1944d0c4d6c701dbda43f0a87ce8cc89