Driver Rehabilitation Program

The Road to Independence

Since 1983, Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital's Driver Rehabilitation Program has provided objective driving evaluations, specialized equipment and training for people with disabilities or aging issues. We work to enhance your quality of life and increase your independence through a driving program tailored to your unique needs.

Learning to drive (or drive again) gives our clients dignity, and helps keep them active in their communities and in closer contact with families. We are strongly committed to keeping seniors and individuals with physical disabilities as independent as possible for as long as possible. Each year, our comprehensive program provides objective driver evaluations and assistance with driving skills for more than 400 people, primarily in the Delaware Valley region. Our specially equipped vehicles -- which have a variety of hand controls, steering devices and pedal modifications -- are used by people with a wide spectrum of physical needs for both driver evaluation and driver training.

Who can benefit from the Driver Rehabilitation Program?

The Driver Rehabilitation Program at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital is committed to helping older drivers and people with disabilities gain or retain as much independence as possible. Our specially trained therapists understand that safety is important, but so is mobility. Balancing these two values in an automobile-dependent world is our highest priority. To that end, we work with people of all ages, including:

• New drivers with physical problems such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida or short stature; and teens with learning disabilities or attention deficit disorder.
• People who are returning to driving after an illness or injury, such as a spinal cord or brain injury, stroke, amputation, or a neuromuscular condition like MS.
• Families seeking to modify a van to transport a family member in a wheelchair.
• Senior citizens to evaluate driving skills and assess if they can safely extend their driving years with a program featuring defensive driving techniques, strategies to conserve energy and compensate for slower reflexes, and exercises to increase flexibility.

Program Features

Qualified treatment team: The Driver Rehabilitation Program is administered by a licensed occupational therapist and a certified driving instructor. The program supervisor is a Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS).

Specially equipped BMRH vehicles: If adaptations are required, our cars or van can be custom tailored to the driver's needs. Hand controls, steering devices, pedal extensions and dozens of other adaptations can accommodate nearly every type of physical impairment. People can even drive from their wheelchairs in our training van.

Comprehensive driving evaluations: A pre-driving assessment focuses on visual skills, reaction time, physical ability, perception, attention and memory. Next comes limited driving on hospital grounds in one of our vehicles, followed by an on-road session if the driver is ready for traffic.

Training: Our staff trains drivers in the use of adaptive equipment and teaches them new strategies for driving safely. A BMRH instructor can accompany drivers to the state exam site so they can be tested in one of our specially equipped vehicles. After they pass the state exam, we write a detailed equipment prescription and offer a list of vendors who can provide and install equipment. In special cases, follow-up training in the modified vehicle may be required.

Assistance with meeting state requirements: Pennsylvania law requires that physicians report physically or mentally impaired drivers to the Department of Transportation (PennDOT), and our program offers an objective and respectful way to evaluate a driver's judgment and safety behind the wheel. In addition, PennDOT randomly selects some drivers 45 years of age and older for screening. Many come to us to verify their visual and physical qualifications for driving before seeking license renewal.

Extending your driving years: Most older drivers continue to drive safely by limiting trips to daylight hours, avoiding rush hour traffic and dividing long-distance trips into shorter segments. For vision problems, the solution could be as simple as new glasses, or an elevated cushion to compensate for lost height and provide a better view of the road. We help older drivers define their limitations and compensate for the effects of aging.

Sensitivity with the elderly: The Driver Rehabilitation Program makes every effort to keep drivers mobile. Occasionally, based on impaired test performance and feedback from physicians and family members, we may recommend retiring from driving. We discuss this delicate issue in a careful and sensitive way, helping drivers understand the risks and explore other transportation options.

How is driver training structured?

Training programs are designed according to individual needs and can include basic driving procedures, defensive driving, wheel chair storage, and use of adaptive devices. We also frequently prepare clients for the state's driver exam. An instructor may accompany the driver to the exam in one of the program's vehicles.

What are the qualifications of the staff?

The Driver Rehabilitation Program is administered by Tom Kalina, who is a licensed occupational therapist and a Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS). He is a past president of the Association of Driver Educators for the Disabled and has served on the Transportation Research Board's Committee on Safety and Mobility of Older Persons for six years, as well as on many task forces regarding elderly driver issues.

Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital has been nationally recognized for its Driver Rehabilitation Program. The program has been featured on CBS' Eye to Eye, CNN, NBC Nightly News, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping Magazine, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. The program also serves as a model to other facilities establishing driving programs.

What is the referral process?

Program participation requires a physician's prescription. Clients, family members, insurance companies, and other agencies may also initiate a referral. For more information or to make a referral, call the Outpatient Admissions Department at 610-640-3943.