Validation of a test of road law and road craft knowledge with older or functionally impaired drivers.
OBJECTIVE
The number of functionally impaired drivers being assessed is increasing the urgency to develop a standardized off-road driver assessment battery. We examined the validity of the Road Law and Road Craft Test (RLRCT) and a version of the Melbourne Slide Test to determine whether they should be included in the Occupational Therapy Driver Off-Road Assessment (OT-DORA) battery, which is under development.


METHODS
We conducted a file audit of 118 data sets with individual item scores for the RLRCT and Melbourne Slide Test.


RESULTS
The RLRCT test with one item removed provides clinicians with a valid indication of clients' off-road driving skills. The Melbourne Slide Test added no new information over that provided by the RLRCT and can be excluded from the battery.


CONCLUSIONS
The revised 14-item RLRCT should be included in the OT-DORA battery. Further research is required to develop the OT-DORA battery as a valid and reliable measure of off-road driver skill.
Unsworth
Carolyn A
CA
School of Occupational Therapy, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia. c.unsworth@latrobe.edu.au
Pallant
Julie F
JF
Russell
Kay J
KJ
Germano
Carmela
C
Odell
Morris
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001333:Automobile Driver Examination; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011594:Psychometrics