Simulated Driving Errors: Indicators of Real-World Driving Events in Returning Combat Veterans.

Motor vehicle crashes is a leading cause of death for Veterans. We quantified the efficacy of an Occupational Therapy Driving Intervention (OT-DI) and a Traffic Safety Education (TSE) intervention on real-world driving in combat Veterans. Via a randomized trial, we assessed 42 Veterans' fitness-to-drive abilities using a CDS-250 driving simulator and driving records, to determine differences in simulated driving and real-world events pre- and post-interventions.

Driving Intervention for Returning Combat Veterans.

Increased crash incidence following deployment and veterans' reports of driving difficulty spurred traffic safety research for this population. We conducted an interim analysis on the efficacy of a simulator-based occupational therapy driving intervention (OT-DI) compared with traffic safety education (TSE) in a randomized controlled trial. During baseline and post-testing, OT-Driver Rehabilitation Specialists and one OT-Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist measured driving performance errors on a DriveSafety CDS-250 high-fidelity simulator.

Efficacy of an occupational therapy driving intervention for returning combat veterans.

Polytrauma, including mild traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, and orthopedic conditions, is common among combat veterans (CVs) from Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Medical conditions, coupled with deployment-related training, may affect CVs' fitness to drive and contribute to post-deployment crash and injury risks. However, empirical interventions are lacking.

Evidence-based review of interventions for medically at-risk older drivers.

OBJECTIVE. To conduct an evidence-based review of intervention studies of older drivers with medical conditions. METHOD.