Potential to Drive Assessment
Potential to Drive Assessment
For people who have never held a licence and want to know if driving is achievable.
Who this is for
This assessment is for learner drivers and aspiring learner drivers with a disability or medical condition. You do not need a learner permit, though having one lets us include additional activities. You do need to be at least 16.
The purpose is to help you and your family work out whether now is the right time to pursue learning to drive, or whether it makes more sense to focus on other goals first and revisit driving later.
What is involved
The off-road session takes place at your home. We discuss your medical history, your goals, and any previous driving experience, along with the everyday life skills that support driving. We then look at your vision, physical abilities, and thinking skills such as attention and problem solving.
We use a mix of formal and informal assessments to build a picture of your strengths and the areas you may find harder.
A few days later we meet again, this time in the car. This is the fun part. You complete a series of activities from the passenger seat, which put the skills from the first session into a real driving environment. A parent or guardian is encouraged to come along to watch.
We discuss the outcome with you on the day. A comprehensive report follows, setting out what we found and what we recommend as next steps.
Funding
Support to learn to drive, including specialised driver training, may be funded through the NDIS where it meets reasonable and necessary criteria. Funders generally require an occupational therapy driving assessment before approving this support, so this assessment is usually the first step.
Not sure this is the right assessment?
If you are unsure which assessment you need, get in touch and we will point you in the right direction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a learner permit first?
No. The in-car activities are done as a passenger. If you already have your permit, we can include supervised driving.
Is this a driving lesson?
No. This works out whether lessons are worth starting. Lessons come afterwards if the recommendation supports it.
What if the assessment shows I'm not ready to drive?
Driving is a complex skill, and it isn't the right fit for everyone. If that's the outcome, we'll tell you plainly and explain the reasoning behind it. We may suggest focusing on other life skills for now - with the option to reassess driving potential down the track.