Driver Risk Assessments

Helping You or a Loved One Stay Safe Behind the Wheel

Driving offers independence and freedom, but age, health changes, or recent illness can affect driving safety in ways that aren’t always obvious. Our Driver Risk Assessment service provides a professional, compassionate evaluation to help older drivers or those recovering from illness determine whether it is still safe to drive, and what the next steps should be.

Who Should Consider an Assessment?

You might benefit from a Driver Risk Assessment if you or a loved one is experiencing:

• Recent changes in health, including new diagnoses or recovery from surgery
• Recurrent falls, dizziness, fainting, or balance concerns
• Vision, hearing, or cognitive challenges such as difficulty seeing signs, slower reaction time, or trouble navigating traffic situations
• Recent crashes, near misses, traffic citations, or an increase in close calls
• Concern from family members, caregivers, or medical professionals about driving safety

Because driving depends on complex physical, visual, and cognitive skills, even subtle changes can compromise safety, and these changes often develop gradually.

What the Assessment Involves

Our Driver Risk Assessment is administered by a licensed occupational therapist and includes:

• A review of medical history and discussion of any current conditions or medications
• Testing of physical, visual, and cognitive skills including mobility, coordination, vision clarity, depth perception, reaction time, and decision making
• An overall classification of low, moderate, or high driving risk explaining whether driving appears safe, whether improvement is possible, or whether significant concerns are present
• A summary of results and individualized recommendations will be provided to your physician, including: referral to a specialist for an on-road evaluation; suggestions on adaptive equipment and training; ongoing skilled OT services aimed at improving readiness for on the road assessment; driving restrictions such as avoiding night driving; or if necessary, guidance on transitioning away from driving. 

Note: The Driver Risk Assessment is not an on-road driving test. For a full-on road evaluation which may include adaptive equipment training, a separate service by a specialist occupational therapy driving rehabilitation provider is recommended.

Why This Matters

• Functional ability, not age, is the most important factor in driving safety
• Physical, sensory, and cognitive changes or medication side effects can impair driving even when someone feels fine
• A professional assessment provides clarity, removes uncertainty, and supports informed and respectful decision making for the driver and family

How to Get Started

1. Ask your physician for a written referral to Occupational Therapy specifying Driver Risk Assessment
2. Contact our Oaklawn Physical Rehabilitation – Marshall to schedule your appointment at (269) 781-6030.
3. Meet with your provider after the assessment to review results and discuss next steps which may include further evaluation, adaptive strategies, or planning a safe transition away from driving