Got Questions? Get Answers…

No. For insurance, legal and safety reasons we have to do the onroad part of the Occupational Therapist Driving Assessment in a Rehab Driving Instructor’s car.

In very, very, very rare situations I will entertain alternatives following a thorough risk assessment and considering the fact the person may be unfairly disadvantaged driving the Rehab Driving Instructor’s car.

Two reasons:

(1) to help you relax and not feel you’re in a test situation

(2) to make sure you can divide your attention when driving – that is control the vehicle and observe the driving environment while listening and talking.

Yes – if it has been completed by your doctor and they have ticked the box on page 4 indicating they are requesting you have an Occupational Therapy Driving Assessment.

I also accept Transport NSW Specialist Driving Reports if they specifically note an Occupational Therapist Driving Assessment is required.

Transport for NSW have six pages of conditions I can add to licences if vehicle modifications are required or if we need to limit driving in some way (such as distance from home).

I will only do this if required by Assessing Fitness to Drive Rules, Transport NSW rules, and/or based on what I have clinically assessed on the day.

Some conditions include:

• A033 – Must drive an automatic vehicle only

• S001 – Must wear glasses or contact lenses when driving

• X409 – May only drive within 15 kms from home

Yes. If visual acuity (VA) meets Assessing Fitness to Drive Rules (uncorrected), I will take this condition off.

It normally happens after a driver has cataract surgery and this has improved their distance vision.

I have had a client who had condition S001 (must wear glasses) put on his licence, in error, as a learner driver. I took that off for him as his VA was perfect.

I will also add this condition if required.

Straight away on the day. I will never write a report where the person has not already been told the outcome. It can be very upsetting and even heartbreaking if I need to recommend licence cancellation, but it’s respectful and kind to sit with the person while they process the news and give them a chance to ask any questions.

Generally, I don’t need to. If I see someone post-diagnosis, they can generally manage their driving medically through their doctor. Often they are already on annual Fitness To Drive review (if over 75 years old).

If the person is learning modifications and doing rehab, this is generally managed very well by the Rehab Driving Instructor. The instructor and/or doctor can both contact me if things are not going to plan or if complications arise.

Sometimes a doctor will refer to me again if their patient has had another medical episode, or diagnosis since I last saw them and things may have changed for them regarding their driving.

Occupational Therapist Driving Assessment is the gold standard for driving assessment in Australia. It is a comprehensive assessment and, very importantly, factors in practical driving performance.

There are many reasons for this:

• They are more relaxed in their familiar environment

• It is easier for family/support people to attend

• It is clinically relevant for me to assess them driving to their familiar destinations and observe their route selection as well.

Great question. And probably the most frequent of my FAQs <deep breath>

So… every person I see has had a medical diagnosis, an accident or an event that has changed them.  The way they think, move or feel. These medical conditions are all listed in Assessing Fitness to Drive (Austroads, 2016).

The driver has been referred to me because of their diagnosis, not because of a poor driving history necessarily.