Transportation
Eligibility for Obtaining A Driver's License
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A person with brain injury may have some legal and medical issues to resolve before applying for a license. If the person with traumatic brain injury (TBI) had a license that was revoked or suspended because of problems before the brain injury such as DUI, the legal matters will need to be addressed prior to the driving evaluation.
Georgia law requires that a person retake both the written and road tests if their license has been expired for two or more years. To find out the status of a GA driver's license call the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety (DMVS) at 404-657-9300. After following the prompts for "Status of your Georgia Driver's license" the person's license number is entered. This automated line will state if the license is valid, expired, suspended or revoked. It does not give the reason for the suspension or revocation. Any legal issues or fines associated with the suspension or revocation must be addressed prior to the issuance of a new license or even a driving evaluation.
Sometimes a suspension may come as a surprise. For example if a person allows their car insurance to expire the insurance company will report this to the DMVS and the person's license may by suspended because they do not have proof of insurance. A person's motor vehicle record can be obtained for a fee by completing the request form which can be found on the DMVS website www.dmva.ga.gov. Click on Forms and scroll down to form DS-18-SW. Handicapped parking permit forms are also available on the site (form DS-29).
If an individual has seizures, Georgia law requires they be seizure free for at least six months before they can resume driving. Waiting periods vary by state. There are also some impairments, such as significant vision problems, that may prevent a person from driving indefinitely. Georgia law requires that a driver's distance vision be at least 20/60 in one eye and that they have a visual field of at least 140†. If there is a question the person should have their eye doctor complete the Vision Report form (DS-274) and bring it to the DMVS office or have their physician mail it in.
Licenses of persons with a brain injury may be revoked automatically by states that require physicians to report incidents of TBI to the Department of Motor Vehicles/ State Licensing Board (DMV/SLB). It is illegal to drive if a license has been revoked even if the license shows a future expiration date.
Most states do not automatically revoke a license after catastrophic injury but for safety and liability reasons, all persons with TBI should be evaluated before driving. The medical review board of the DMVS may revoke their license at the request of their physician or other concerned party if the person's medical condition is such that they could not safely return to driving.
State requirements vary. Search www.Icanonline.net under Laws and Rights for links to the Department of Motor Vehicles by state.
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.