A Collaborative Occupational Therapy-Instructor Model for Driving Evaluation of Persons with Disabilities

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Occupational Therapy
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Korea lacks standardized driver rehabilitation guidelines and defined occupational therapy roles.
• Current driver fitness evaluations rely on subjective judgment, leading to inconsistent decisions.
• The National Rehabilitation Center (NRC) sought a structured approach to driver rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and field-test a comprehensive driving evaluation (CDE) for the Korean context.
• To integrate structured off-road functional assessment with on-road driving evaluation.
• To establish a collaborative model between occupational therapists and driving instructors.

Main Methods:

• Refined off-road assessment using literature review, ICF Core Set analysis, expert surveys, and workshops.
• Adapted and validated on-road assessment from international tools with driving instructors and experts.
• Field-tested the CDE with 30 individuals with disabilities in the NRC Driving Education Program.

Main Results:

• The CDE was feasible within existing workflows.
• Off-road functional deficits were predictive of on-road driving difficulties.
• Combined assessments improved decision-making in complex cases.

Conclusions:

• The CDE provides a structured, evidence-based alternative to experience-based driver evaluations.
• The study supports interprofessional collaboration in driver rehabilitation.
• This work lays the foundation for standardized driver rehabilitation guidelines in Korea.