THE VISION COACH IS ESSENTIAL FOR DRIVER HEALTH INVENTORY AND REHABLITATION PROGRAMS

DRIVER EVALUATION

It has been predicted by the year 2030 one in five drivers in the US will be age 65 or older. As we age, the body changes physically and mentally. Changes occur in vision, flexibility, strength, and other physical characteristics which can affect safe driving. A Comprehensive Driver Evaluation can assess the abilities or potential to become a safe and independent driver. This evaluation should be conducted by an Occupational Therapist with special training in Driver Rehabilitation, and should include a screening of past medical and driving history, along with assessments of Vision, Perception, Cognition, Coordination, and Reaction.

The VISION COACH is an essential piece of equipment for all Driving Programs and offers features which will enable the therapist to evaluate the driver’s field of vision, recognition and reaction time, judgment of distance, coordination, cognitive skills, dynamic visual acuity, visual perception, and strength and endurance.

DRIVER REHABILITATION

A Driver Rehabilitation Program can help with the multiple and specific skills and techniques needed to effectively drive a motor vehicle. Persons with a variety of disabilities including but not limited to: stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation of an arm or leg, arthritis, neurological impairment, visual impairments, congenital disabilities, or decreased function due to aging can benefit from such a program.

It is estimated that 90% of all information received by the driver is visual. The role of vision is critical in the operation of a motor vehicle. Visual function is imperative to a driver’s performance.

The VISION COACH can be utilized for the development and improvement of the following skills required for safe driving, such as;

DYNAMIC VISUAL ACUITY
The ability to clearly see objects while you and/or the objects are moving fast

FIXATION
The ability to quickly and accurately locate and inspect an object

PERIPHERAL VISION
The awareness of visual information perceived from a large surrounding area

CENTRAL AWARENESS
The ability to monitor and interpret what is occurring in front of you

DIVIDED ATTENTION
The ability to successfully monitor, interpret, and perceive information while attending to a specific task

SCANNING
To look over quickly and absorb information

TRACKING
The ability to follow a moving object smoothly and accurately with your eyes, such as a moving car

DEPTH PERCEPTION
The ability to judge relative distances of objects and to move precisely in three-dimensional space

VISUAL RECOGNITION AND REACTION
The speed with which your brain interprets and reacts to visual stimuli

VISUAL PERCEPTION
The ability to detect and interpret visual information

COORDINATION OF MOVEMENT / EYE-HAND-BODY
Coordination and movement of the eyes, hands, feet and body to direct at the same motor target

COGNITION
Awareness, perception, reasoning, and judgment

The VISION COACH can be incorporated into Driver Health Inventory for the assessment of visual recognition and reaction time. It may also be used in a dark room for the enhancement of night time driving skills, and with the use of the RED/BLUE GOGGLES with the RED AND GREEN LIGHTS, the user can be evaluated for binocularity. The LARGE HORIZONTAL WORKING SURFACE is outstanding for training the horizontal periphery, our most dominant, and is essential for the improvement of visual scanning and tracking. LETTERS AND NUMBERS allow for cognitive training with any trial programmed, and the 11 DISTINCTIVE VISUAL FIELDS aide in field loss awareness. The lights will not appear in the same place when beginning a new trial as there are over 5,000 STARTUPS and NO VISUAL CUES. These features aide in the assessment and improvement of anticipation and response.

To view our research with Clemson University see our NEWS/RESEARCH page.