[Possibilities of driver fitness diagnosis and training using a stationary training car]

The study presented had dealt with the potential of a stationary training car in assessing and improving the driving skills of patients having neurological disorders, with reaction testing and reaction training carried out by means of the training car. The aim had been to verify whether, and to what extent, such a device might contribute to driving fitness diagnosis and improvement. The sample was comprised of patients who, mostly following brain injury, participated in an in-patient rehabilitation programme. It was found that an individual's driving fitness cannot be diagnosed on the basis of laboratory testing alone. The deficits elicited by the tests have to be verified concerning their impact in real road traffic in every individual case, taking adaptive potential into account. In view of improved driving skills, the findings show performance improvements in various reaction tests as well as better driving sample ratings.