Development and current status of occupational therapy driver assessment and rehabilitation in Victoria, Australia

The occupation of driving is highly valued by many members of our community (Liddle, 2003). However, participating in driving may be challenged by congenital disabilities; accident or injury resulting in physical, cognitive/perceptual or sensory disabilities; psychiatric disorders or drug use; or factors associated with ageing such as deteriorating vision. Occupational therapists aim to ensure that individuals can participate in as many of their chosen occupations as possible, hence we are ideally placed to optimise an individual’s capacity to drive independently and safely. In the state of Victoria, Australia, occupational therapists have been formally involved in helping clients to drive or resume driving over a 20-year period. This In Practice aims to document the innovative thinking that led to the development of the field of driver assessment and rehabilitation in occupational therapy in Victoria, thus acknowledging the work of some of the pioneers in this field. The article also examines the establishment of a training program for driver assessors, procedures and standards for driver assessment and rehabilitation in Victoria, research in the field and future directions. The primary sources of information for this In Practice were interviews with some of these pioneers, and surviving documents and reports from the School of Occupational Therapy, La Trobe University and OT AUSTRALIA – Victoria.