Transportation
How to Obtain A Driver's License after Brain Injury
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Once any legal and medical obstacles that would disqualify someone from getting a license are amended, the person with brain injury may be ready to explore the possibility of driving. The process will be easier if the person with brain injury works with someone who is familiar with the system such as a vocational rehabilitation specialist from a hospital. But if a person is applying without assistance, he or she should first contact the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and ask if there is a special office through which persons with medical needs should apply for a license. Sometimes these offices have separate systems in place that make certain allowances (such as issuing one-day permits allowing driving for the purpose of taking the evaluation without first taking the written test) that can be very helpful. If there is not a separate track, these are the steps to apply:
1. Take the written test for a learner’s permit at the DMV. If passed, a person is given a permit good for six months.
a. In most cases, a permit is required before the person applying can participate in the driving portion of any evaluation. Check with the DMV office for your state’s specific requirements.
b. In Georgia, local DMV offices can be found online at www.dmvs.ga.gov/
c. For other states, using a good search engine, type the state’s initials and DMV (eg. CA DMV) into the search box.
2. Obtain a referral from a physician for a comprehensive driving evaluation. by a certified driving rehabilitation specialist (CDRS).
a. Any MD can provide it but because of safety issues, a doctor who is familiar with brain injury—perhaps the physiatrist or neurologist who treated the person with brain injury would be the best person to give the referral.
b. 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.
3. Give permission for the CDRS to send the results of the evaluation to the referring physician.
4. Obtain a release to drive from the referring physician. The physician will base his decision of whether or not to grant the release on the information derived from the driving evaluation.
5. Return to the DMV to take the driving test.
a. A borrowed vehicle can be used to take the test. This is recommended in cases where common adaptations are required such as hand controls to be sure driving is possible before making a major investment in a custom vehicle. A vocational rehab person may be able to recommend where an appropriate vehicle can be borrowed or rented. If the adaptations are more complex, this won’t be an option.
b. Remember to arrange for automobile insurance before driving.
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.