Measuring the impact of driving status: The Centre for Research on Safe Driving–Impact of Driving Status on Quality of Life (CRSD-IDSQoL) tool

Abstract

Background. Driving an automobile is often considered an activity of daily living and is crucial to quality of life for many individuals. Following driving cessation, quality of life may become compromised. Purpose. The Centre for Research on Safe Driving–Impact of Driving Status on Quality of Life (CRSD-IDSQoL) was designed to measure various elements of quality of life and how those elements are affected by driving status. Method. The CRSD-IDSQoL was cross-sectionally administered to a convenience sample of 114 individuals (mean age 65.8 years). Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the factor structure. Findings. The results supported three factors. Following adjustments for conceptual fit, Cronbach’s alphas for the Community Mobility, Emotional, and Resources and Safety domains were .82, .84, and .74, respectively. Community Mobility was positively associated with distance driven per week. Implications. The CRSD-IDSQoL may be a useful tool to study quality-of-life impacts of driving cessation. Further evaluation of the tool is warranted.