Transportation
Driving After Brain Injury
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Driving has a mystique that no other daily activity can match. It’s a rite of passage; it’s freedom. Yet driving is a privilege persons with brain injury often lose temporarily or permanently. Besides its obvious social and economic implications, that loss can have significant negative psychological effects. Because of its impact on a person’s self-esteem and independence, driving is a priority for many persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Many people take driving for granted and are not aware of the potential dangers of driving after a brain injury. But driving is a complex task. Information has to be gathered and processed, decisions have to be made and executed, all while traveling at 73 feet per second. Many deficits common to traumatic brain injury have an adverse affect on a person’s ability to operate a vehicle safely.
A comprehensive driving evaluation that includes both clinical and on-the-road assessments is needed to determine if it is safe for a person with TBI to resume driving. Some are ready to drive within a few months of their injury. Others may not be ready for years.
A certified driver rehabilitation specialist (CDRS) is the professional who can perform an assessment of the client’s ability to drive. A CDRS is frequently though not always an occupational therapist. Driver rehabilitation specialists across the USA and Canada can be located through the Association of Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED) using the membership directory at www.aded.net or by phone at (318) 257-5055.
Experienced drivers have established skills to draw on while people who were injured before they were old enough to drive face a greater challenge. New learning can be difficult following a brain injury. Some driving programs offer drivers education and training in addition to evaluation to address the special needs of this group. In some cases, an evaluation is done before a learner’s permit is issued to determine if there are severe deficits that may not be overcome with training.
www.aded.net - Certified Rehabilitation Driver Specialists (CRDS)
www.nmeda.org - National Mobility Equipment Dealer's Association
www.Icanonline.net - Under Laws and Rights find local links to State Department of Motor Vehicles and other government agencies.
www.dmv-driving-record-search.com - Order driving record and car history
www.shepherd.org - Shepherd Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Beth Anderson is an occupational therapist, a certified driver rehabilitation specialist and a state licensed driving instructor. She has worked at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia for 15 years. Beth has presented on various driving topics at local and national conferences and is the author of a chapter on driving assessments in the textbook Spinal Cord Injury Medicine.