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For Workers
• 6 min read
By
Suzzy at AusRehab
Recovering from an injury or illness can raise an important question: Am I safe to drive again? For many workers, driving is not just about personal independence, but is an important part of their job or daily commute. An OT driving assessment, also known as an occupational therapy driving assessment, is designed to help answer that question with clarity and confidence.
In NSW and across Australia, an OT driving assessment plays a crucial role in determining whether someone is medically and functionally fit to drive. These evaluations are conducted by trained occupational therapists who assess both physical and cognitive abilities to ensure safe driving.
At AusRehab, we provide comprehensive OT driving assessments across Sydney and NSW. Our focus is on balancing safety, independence, and return-to-work goals, helping individuals feel confident about getting back behind the wheel when it’s safe to do so.
An OT driving assessment is a specialised evaluation carried out by an occupational therapist (OT) to determine whether a person is safe and capable of driving after an injury, illness, or medical condition. Unlike a standard driving test, this process goes beyond road rules. It examines physical, cognitive, and sensory abilities to ensure the driver can operate a vehicle safely and responsibly.
This understanding of occupational therapy driving assessment highlights its importance when a person’s health condition may affect their fitness to drive. These assessments follow both national standards and NSW guidelines for occupational therapy (OT) and driver licensing.
The goal of an OT driving assessment is to strike a balance between public road safety and an individual’s independence. For workers, this can be vital in deciding whether they are fit to resume roles that involve driving. The assessment focuses on:
An occupational therapy driving assessment is a collaborative process that involves both clinical expertise and practical evaluation:
Together, the OT and instructor provide a balanced evaluation that addresses both medical and practical aspects of driving, ensuring fairness and safety for all.
An occupational therapy driver assessment involves two key stages: the off-road (clinical) assessment and the on-road OT driving evaluation. Together, these OT driving assessment components provide a complete picture of a person’s ability and safety to drive after an illness, injury, or medical condition.
The off-road driving assessment by an occupational therapist takes place in a clinical setting. This stage is designed to evaluate the underlying skills needed for safe driving, including:
This stage allows the OT to determine whether the driver is ready to proceed to the on-road test. It’s similar to how our functional assessments evaluate capacity in the workplace. Both aim to ensure safety and ability before moving forward.
Once clinical readiness is established, the on-road OT driving evaluation begins. Conducted with a rehabilitation-trained driving instructor, this phase assesses how well the driver applies skills in real-world traffic conditions, including:
This part of the process mirrors other return-to-work assessments by ensuring the driver can not only perform tasks but also apply them safely in everyday driving situations.
Safety underpins every part of the OT driving evaluation on-road and off-road. All practical assessments are carried out in dual-controlled vehicles, allowing the instructor to intervene if needed. This ensures drivers are tested fairly without creating unnecessary risk.
At AusRehab, the integration of dual-controlled vehicles reflects our evidence-based approach. Just as with rehabilitation and ergonomic assessments, our occupational therapy driving assessments combine clinical precision with real-world safeguards to support safe, confident, and independent driving.
An OT driving assessment is recommended when a medical condition, injury, or impairment raises concerns about driving safety. Knowing when an OT driving assessment is required is essential to protect not only the driver but also passengers and the wider community. These evaluations help determine whether someone can continue driving safely or if adjustments are needed.
A fitness to drive assessment post-injury may be necessary after a workplace incident, car accident, or significant illness. Before resuming driving, individuals need to be evaluated to ensure they can operate a vehicle without pain, risk of reinjury, or impaired ability.
For example, after a musculoskeletal injury, an assessment may determine whether the worker can operate a vehicle without pain or risk of further harm. This is similar to how manual handling training prevents re-injury by ensuring safe physical techniques are in place before workers return to demanding tasks.
Driving demands both sharp mental processing and strong physical function. A cognitive or physical impairment driving assessment is particularly important for people living with neurological conditions, stroke, traumatic brain injury, or chronic illness. Challenges such as slowed reaction time, reduced attention, or impaired motor skills can all impact safety on the road.
An OT driving assessment also considers the psychological aspect, since driving-related anxiety has become increasingly common. For some, fear or stress after an accident can be just as limiting as a physical impairment. In these cases, gradual exposure to driving in controlled settings can help rebuild confidence.
An OT may recommend a tailored driving rehab program, which could include structured lessons with a driving instructor, cognitive therapy with a psychologist, or adaptive equipment. Much like our psychological injury rehabilitation, the goal is to identify barriers and create tailored solutions that prioritise safety and independence.
In NSW, medical professionals are not legally mandated to report patients whose health may affect driving safety. However, they have the discretionary authority to do so and are protected from liability if they report in good faith, according to NSW Health and the NSW Government. This often leads to referrals for an occupational therapy driving assessment when a patient is unable to recognise the risks or continues driving against medical advice.
For workers, this means an assessment may be a condition of returning to their driving role. For insurers and employers, it ensures compliance with legal obligations and reduces risk exposure. Just as ergonomic assessments identify risks before they cause injury, OT driving assessments proactively address driving-related risks before they become incidents.
An OT driving assessment goes beyond simply checking if someone can operate a car. It evaluates the whole person, such as their physical skills, cognitive abilities, vision, and even whether the vehicle itself requires adaptations. This ensures a fair and accurate measure of driving safety and capacity.
A driver’s ability to control the vehicle safely depends on their physical strength, range of motion, and coordination. The assessment measures things like the ability to turn the wheel, press pedals, and perform quick movements in emergencies.
For workers recovering from injury, this process is similar to how a functional assessment evaluates overall capacity before returning to demanding work duties. Both aim to ensure tasks can be performed safely and sustainably.
Driving is a complex activity that depends on sharp cognitive function and fast responses. During the assessment, a reaction time assessment is conducted to measure how quickly the driver can respond to hazards. Memory, attention, and decision-making are also tested, which are particularly important for individuals recovering from neurological conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, or dementia.
For example, insurers and employers often turn to independent medical examinations (IME guidelines, SIRA) to get objective insights into an injured worker’s abilities. Similarly, OT driving assessments provide objective evidence of driving capacity.
Safe driving requires not only good vision but also an understanding of road rules and self-awareness of limitations. During the assessment, OTs evaluate visual acuity, field of vision, and ability to interpret traffic scenarios.
An ergonomic workstation assessment works similarly. It identifies risks before they escalate, ensuring that unseen visual or perceptual challenges are addressed before they lead to accidents on the road.
In some cases, individuals may not need to give up driving altogether. Instead, adaptive solutions can make driving safe again. Vehicle modifications after an OT driving assessment might include spinner knobs, left-foot accelerators, or additional mirrors to support safer control.
AusRehab works with clients, insurers, and regulatory bodies to recommend modifications, training, and licence conditions where appropriate. For workers, this is especially important because it helps them return to their jobs without unnecessary restrictions. For more details, NSW Health provides clear medical fitness to drive guidelines.
The results of an OT driving assessment vary depending on the individual’s abilities, recovery stage, and workplace needs. OT driving assessment outcomes are designed to prioritise safety while supporting independence, whether that means retraining, modifying a vehicle, adjusting licence conditions, or exploring alternative transport solutions.
In some cases, the outcome is not simply a pass or fail. Instead, the occupational therapist may recommend driving retraining with a rehabilitation-trained instructor. This allows drivers to rebuild confidence and develop safe driving habits after a long break or following health changes.
Driving retraining with an occupational therapist often works in parallel with other rehabilitation programs, like manual handling refresher programs, since both focus on safe practices and preventing relapse after recovery.
If driving is possible but certain challenges remain, the OT may recommend adaptive equipment or licence conditions. This could include installing spinner knobs, pedal adaptations, or even restricting driving to daylight hours only.
These licence conditions from an OT driving assessment are clearly documented in the assessment report and shared with licensing authorities, ensuring compliance while allowing workers to continue their driving-related roles safely. More details on licence conditions are available in Austroads’ Assessing Fitness to Drive Guidelines.
Not every assessment leads to immediate approval for driving. In situations where risks remain, individuals may be encouraged to use alternative transportation post-driving assessment. This might involve public transport, ride-sharing services, or employer-supported travel until the driver is ready to be reassessed.
Employers play a big role here by supporting safe commuting solutions, much like they would after an ergonomic assessment helps an employee continue working safely in the office.
An OT driving assessment is often part of a longer recovery journey. Occupational therapists may recommend reassessment timelines, such as every 6 or 12 months, to review progress and adjust conditions as recovery evolves.
These follow-ups function like a functional capacity evaluation, where capacity is reviewed over time to support safe return-to-work decisions. Reassessments ensure that workers remain fit to drive long-term while balancing independence with safety.
An OT driving assessment is more than a medical requirement, but a key part of ensuring that injured workers can safely resume their roles, especially in jobs where driving is essential. At AusRehab, we incorporate these evaluations into our rehabilitation programs to help workers regain independence while giving employers peace of mind about safety and compliance.
For many professionals, such as delivery drivers, field technicians, and community health workers, driving is central to their job. A rehabilitation driving assessment at AusRehab determines whether a worker is fit to meet these demands post-injury, ensuring they can return to the road safely and confidently.
Employers also benefit from these evaluations. Safe return-to-work assessments help reduce risk, prevent accidents, and minimise operational disruptions. Just as workplace rehabilitation plans help with office or physical roles, OT driving assessments provide the same assurance for road-based work.
Driving capability is closely tied to physical health, cognitive function, and job-specific requirements. That’s why AusRehab integrates rehabilitation driving assessments into broader recovery programs.
For example, after a psychological or physical injury, factors such as reaction time, focus, or decision-making may be affected. Likewise, after a functional assessment, the outcomes can inform whether a worker needs retraining or support for driving tasks.
At AusRehab, we understand that every worker and workplace is different. That’s why our safe return-to-work assessments are tailored to both the individual’s health and their specific job requirements.
Our team of occupational therapists works closely with employers, insurers, and workers to:
Our goal is to restore not only driving skills but also independence and confidence, so workers can return to their jobs and daily routines with assurance.
OT driving assessments are crucial for ensuring fitness to drive after injury or illness. AusRehab provides comprehensive assessments, reports, and rehabilitation services to support both workers and employers.
📞 1300 391 947
📧 office@ausrehab.com
Book your OT Driving Assessment with AusRehab and get back on the road safely.
An OT driving assessment is a structured evaluation by an occupational therapist (and a driving instructor) to determine if someone is fit to drive after injury, illness, or with a medical condition. It includes both off-road (clinical) and on-road components.
You may need an assessment if you’ve had a significant injury, illness, or medical condition that could affect your ability to drive safely. Doctors often refer workers for a fitness-to-drive assessment post-injury to meet licensing and insurance requirements.
The evaluation involves two stages:
During the off-road test, the OT assesses vision, memory, attention, reaction time, decision-making, and physical mobility. These factors show whether you can respond effectively in real driving situations.
In the on-road evaluation, you’ll drive a dual-controlled vehicle with both the OT and instructor present. They observe how you manage traffic, road rules, and unexpected challenges in a safe, controlled environment.
Possible outcomes include:
If your role requires driving, the assessment ensures you’re safe and capable of performing those duties. It helps employers and insurers confirm workplace safety while supporting your recovery and return to work.
Yes. If needed, the OT may recommend vehicle modifications such as hand controls, mirrors, or adaptive seating. These ensure safer driving for workers with physical limitations.
Assessments are conducted by an occupational therapist trained in driver assessment, working in partnership with a licensed driving instructor. Together, they provide a complete clinical and practical evaluation.
The frequency depends on your health condition, recovery progress, and licensing authority requirements. Some workers may need reassessment after a set recovery period, while others require regular reviews to maintain a safe driving status.
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