Driving Performance Among Bioptic Telescope Users with Low Vision Two Years After Obtaining Their Driver's License: A Quasi-Experimental Study

ABSTRACT

This study sought to compare road safety of new drivers with low vision who have followed a specific pilot bioptic training program with other groups of drivers all matched for age and driving experience. A quasi-experimental design was used two years after drivers obtained their license. Drivers were classified in the experimental group (n = 10, they followed a pilot bioptic training program and had license restrictions: weight of the car, requirement of a yearly medical exams, requirement to wear glasses/contacts, use of a bioptic telescope), the comparison group (n = 17, similar license restrictions except the use of a bioptic telescope) and the regional population (n = 1,690, no license restriction). The number of new drivers involved in at least one accident and who committed at least one offense is not greater for users of a bioptic telescope than for drivers of in the other groups. The results of this study indicate that driving with a bioptic telescope does not increase the risk of accidents and offenses, with more scientific evidence than in previous studies, among drivers aged between 25 and 35 who have a congenital visual impairment and who have completed an eight-week pilot bioptic training program.

Keywords:

• new drivers
• congenital oculo-visual disability
• driving offenses
• accidents
• road safety

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to thank our new statistician, Jean Leblond, recently employed by the CIRRIS. He suggests major and pertinent revisions regarding statistical analysis and presentation of the results, in the last version of the manuscript in winter 2011. This study was carried out with financial support from the Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec and the collaboration of the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (Quebec Automobile Insurance Corporation). We would also like to thank the participants who gave their time, and the O&M instructor, Annie Paquet, for her feedback in writing this paper.