Neuropsychological Performance Relates to Observed Risky Driving in Healthy Adults

This study uses video telematics to examine relationships between neuropsychological performance and directly observed naturalistic driving-as-usual in healthy adult drivers. We hypothesized that visual attention and executive function measures would have the strongest associations with unsafe driving behaviors.Twenty-five healthy drivers (ages 23-61, 62% women) were recruited from the general community into this cross-sectional study. They completed neuropsychological testing and 28 days of naturalistic driving with an in-vehicle video telematics platform that detected unsafe driving behaviors. The neuropsychological battery measured driving-relevant domains, namely visual attention, processing speed, executive function, and visuospatial memory. We examined correlations between neuropsychological measures and unsafe behaviors.Unsafe following distance correlated with better performance on Useful Field of View Selective Attention (r = 0.55, p = 0.004, 95% CI = 0.19-0.77), Symbol Digit Modalities Test Written (r = 0.51, p = 0.009, CI = 0.13-0.76) and Oral (r = 0.51, p = 0.010, CI = 0.13-0.75), Trails B (r = 0.42, p = 0.035, CI = 0.02-0.70), and Stroop Color (r = 0.46, p = 0.022, CI = 0.06-0.72). Speeding correlated with better Spatial Recall Test Immediate (r = 0.48, p = 0.015, CI = 0.10-0.73) and Delay performance (r = 0.42, p = 0.038, CI = 0.02-0.69).In healthy adult drivers, better performance in the domains of visuospatial memory, processing speed, and attention is associated with greater engagement in unsafe driving behaviors. In the absence of concern about cognitive compromise, individuals may feel more comfortable making risky behaviors. We plan to expand this work to broader samples and clinical populations to increase generalizability and applicability to clinical driving evaluations.