Driving Simulation Training

Our Outpatient Neurologic Rehabiliation Program offers a clinical pre-driving program that focuses on driver readiness training. This training assesses an individual's ability to return to driving, a complex goal after experiencing a medical condition. Driving is an instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) for accessing your community and establishing sustainability of independence.

We assess an individual's cognitive, visual, and physical capabilities for driving performance. Participating in our driving simulation training and assessments do not replace the need for an on-road driving evaluation. However, we are able to determine readiness to resume driving and to participate in an on-road assessment.

How to Refer

We require a referral from a doctor to the occupational therapist in the Outpatient Neurologic Rehabilitation Program. Please write the referral as follows: referral to OT for community mobility and driving evaluation.

Driving Simulation Training Evaluation

Your initial evaluation will take one hour. We use a driving simulator to determine your ability to manage driving in a range of driving conditions, such as clear conditions, night, and fog, and a variety of terrains like country, city, and mountainous roads, while following the rules of the road.

The evaluation includes meeting with an occupational therapist who will assess:

• Cognition: Tests may include the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Roadwise Review by AAA, and assessments of cognitive conditions, such as decision making, attention, and impulsivity
• Vision: Tests may include the Useful Field of View, Bioness Integrated Therapy System, Motor-free Visual Perceptual Test-Version 3, and visual acuity. Please bring your glasses to the driving evaluation.
• Strength: Manual muscle testing, range of motion or neck and body, and grip strength
• Motor control: Assessments to determine your ability to use your legs and hands to manage the driving functions of the vehicle. If you no longer have use of your legs, we have the ability to use hand controls only to assess you. Assessment tools may include the Armeo Spring Exoskeletal Functional Arm Device.

Follow-up visits may also be scheduled after the initial evaluation.

Steps to Resume Driving

Education and Handouts

Individuals receive handouts from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and American Medical Association for driving, and local resources for community access. We discuss the process on how you can initiate contact with the DMV.  

On-road Driving

We almost always suggest that the patient hire a private driving instructor to practice on-road driving prior to returning to driving independently or to the DMV for the driving test. You should have an active legal driving permit to proceed.

DMV Requirements

If your occupational therapist and doctor indicate that you may return to the DMV to apply to un-suspend a license, it may take an additional three months to move through the DMV process. The process involves:

• Your doctor completes the paperwork for the DMV
• You make an appointment to meet with the Health Officer
• You have an interview with the Health Officer
• If approved by the Health Officer, you can schedule an appointment to take the written test.
• If you pass the written test, you will receive their driving permit from the DMV.
• You practice driving with your driving school and/or adult supervision
• You make an appointment for driving test through the DMV