What's New at CBH
Senior Driver Safety
The ability to drive affords us many luxuries and freedoms. For
some, driving an automobile may represent a welcome convenience;
for others, it may be a necessary part of their daily routine.
Public transportation is often lacking in many communities, and
older adults display a strong preference for making trips in
personal vehicles versus buses, cabs, or trains. Driving is a
privilege that few of us could imagine living without. For older
drivers, it can be the defining point between the "independent" and
the "dependent". It is often one of the determining factors in
whether an older adult can live independently at home, or make a
necessary transition to an assisted living facility or other
retirement community.
However, in addition to the privileges it provides, for many older
adults driving also represents one of the most dangerous tasks in
which they engage. Two factors contribute to this risk. First,
although the vast majority of seniors are safe and competent
drivers, the likelihood of being involved in a collision may be
elevated for some older adults due to a change in ability as a
result of illness, disease, or the natural aging process. Second,
seniors are more likely to sustain serious injuries in a collision
due to their decreased physiologic reserve. The impact that may
result in the bruising of a younger adult may result in bone
fractures in an older, osteoporotic adult. Consequently, driving
can represent a double-edged sword for the older driver. It is a
skill that can reap great rewards, but when performed unsafely can
result in catastrophic harm. Therefore, it is critical that we
provide a means to objectively evaluate and monitor the driving
safety of an older adult.
An evaluation with a Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist
(CDRS) is generally the most effective and objective means for
determining the driving safety of an older adult. The CDRS is
usually an Occupational Therapist who has received substantial
additional training in how aging and disability can affect driving
skills, as well as the use of adapted driving techniques and
vehicle modifications that can compensate for an individual's
change of abilities. A comprehensive driving assessment usually
includes a clinical assessment of the physical, cognitive, and
visual/perceptual skills utilized in driving, followed by an in-car
session (also known as "road test") to evaluate the application of
those skills in a real world driving environment. Drivers with good
skills can be recognized and encouraged to continue driving.
Drivers who present with unsatisfactory skills or unsafe driving
behaviors can be recommended for driver rehabilitation. For those
whose skills are significantly impaired and cannot be remediated,
driving retirement may be the best option to ensure their safety
and the safety of others on the road.
The goal of the CDRS is to keep drivers safely on the road for as
long as possible. For drivers whose abilities may be compromised,
the goal is to identify those at risk, and take steps to intervene
before an accident happens. If we wait for an accident to happen
before evaluating a driver, we have waited too long.
To schedule a driving evaluation for you or a loved one, call the
Riverside Center for Excellence in Aging and Lifelong Health at
757-220-4751. Tests are conducted in both Williamsburg and
Hampton.
Karl Hoffman OTR/L, CDRS, CDI is the Director of Driver
Rehabilitation Services at the Riverside Center for Excellence in
Aging and Lifelong Health in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Karl started his Occupational Therapy career at the Riverside
Rehabilitation Institute 1995 as a staff therapist. He later served
as Clinical Services Manager, and also operated the Adaptive Driver
Training Program at the Shoreview Outpatient Center. Karl left
Riverside in 2006 to enter into private practice, and established
Driver Rehabilitation of Hampton Roads, Inc. In 2011, Karl joined
the Center for Excellence in Aging and Geriatric Health to create
Driver Rehabilitation of Hampton Roads - a service of
CEAGH.
Karl is dually licensed as an Occupational Therapist and a
Commercial Driving Instructor. He has been credentialed as a
Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS) by the
Association of Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED) since
1997.