Driver Rehabilitation can be beneficial to many drivers with medical conditions especially if you are recovering from serious injuries sustained in a car accident. There may be psychological as well as physical barriers to recovery, and how a person copes or deals with these obstacles can make a difference in their recovery.
What is Driver Rehabilitation?
Assessments are conducted by registered Occupational Therapists and licensed driving instructors. The first step involves consultation between the Driver Rehabilitation Occupational Therapist and the treating team (typically the case manager and/pr treating Occupational Therapist) in order to determine if you are ready to participate in a driving assessment.
What should you expect at your driving evaluation?
A clinical assessment is conducted by an Occupational Therapist (which involves a cognitive assessment, reaction time testing, judgment, concentration, decision making speed, attention, information processing, impulse control, memory and other thinking skills. For those suffering from anxiety, there is a clinical interview which involves administration of a driver anxiety questionnaire.
On Road Assessment: This assessment is conducted by an Occupational Therapist and Certified Driving Instructor in the Driving Instructor’s vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with a dual brake for safety purposes and with adaptive equipment if required. The Occupational Therapist and Driving Instructor travel to your home to conduct the on-road assessment in your neighbourhood in order to avoid unnecessary travel, which may elicit anxiety. The assessment progresses from residential roads, to multilane roads and the highway (as per tolerance). All aspects of driving are assessed including physical ability, endurance to handle the vehicle, cognitive/behavioural skills, visual perceptual skills, reactions and responses to traffic environment. While you are encouraged to drive at the outset and throughout the assessment, you may choose to act as a passenger due to anxiety.
Feedback session based on the information gathered during the clinical and on-road evaluation. Your Occupational Therapist will make recommendations based on performance strengths and limitations. On road training with the Driving Instructor may also be recommended. You are taught defensive driving skills, as well as strategies to manage anxiety behind the wheel. In some instances, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy sessions with an Occupational Therapist may be recommended to prepare you for the on road sessions or to support you during the on road sessions.
Fortunately, there is hope. Driver rehab and adaptive driving equipment can make a world of difference for those with conditions that make it difficult or impossible to operate a standard vehicle after surviving a motor vehicle crash.
For more information on Driver Rehabilitation and other services please visit: piot.ca
Submitted by Terry Ginzberg, Occupational Therapist
PIOT Inc. is a member of Crash Support Network and we thank them for their continued support.
The Crash Support Network is a unique one-of-a-kind website consisting of an online support group, a crash survivor blog, a quarterly newsletter, “Sharing Our Recovery” as well as highly informative articles. Our website is based on relationship-building and puts the needs of survivors first by creating a helpful resource for victims and survivors of motor vehicle crashes.
