Older patients’ driving safety with the help of DRIVING SIMULATOR: Which cognitive test can predict better driving safety?

Abstract

Introduction: Being able to drive is an important parameter of independence and self-sufficiency. The continued use of cars, which plays an important role in maintaining the mobility of the older individuals, is very important for the protection of the individual’s activity performance.

Methods: Driving skills of 31 participants were tested with the help of a driving simulator and cognitive tests were applied to each participant. The study was aimed to reveal the relationship between the cognitive functions and safe driving skills of older patients using the driving simulator and to determine the cognitive test that predicts the safe driving skill best.

Results: 31 participants was included in the study. All participants were male. The average age was 72.5±6.The median of MMSE was 29 (IQR; 28-30),the mean of MOCA was 25.52±2.6,the mean value of QMCI was 62.68±9.57, the median of trail making test A was 42.5 sec(22-97), and the median of trail making test B was 98.31 sec(38-313).MOCA test score correlated positively with “the skills expected before starting the vehicle “and driving parameters on the highway(“p: 0.0024, r:0.46”;”p:0.0024, r:0.46”,respectively).The QMCI test was found to have a statistically positive and significant correlation with operational skills and the skills expected before starting the vehicle(“p:0.041, r:0.43”; “p:0.015 r:0.50”,respectively).When the factors affecting operational skills and safe driving skills were analyzed by linear regression analysis, both skills were influenced by the QMCI-orientation step(p:0.001;CI:1.59-3.9).

Conclusion: In our study, it is shown that driving skills decrease with aging. QMCI and MOCA, which are easy to apply in clinical practice, will be useful in patients driving vehicles aged 65 and over with the demonstration of a significant relationship with total driving score, safe driving and operational skills.