Driving Assessment

[gooseberry]

Anyone ever undergo a driving rehab program//assessment through the VA? After Steve's assessment he got paperwork and an appointment to come in for this with the info to go to the State DMV

 

[Nuts]

My husband had been encouraged for awhile to switch to hand controls, which he resisted. When he finally failed the assessment given during clinic, he was given a letter advising him to stop driving until/unless he went for the three hour full clinical assessment and passed (for driving with his feet), or switched to hand controls. After some consideration he opted for the hand control class instead. My guess is that if Steve doesn't show for the assessment the info to suspend/revoke his license will be sent to the DMV. From my understanding, the clinical assessment looks at cognitive as well as physical issues.

 

[gooseberry]

I am thinking they will take his license because he has a much weaker grip in his left hand, left shoulder rom is shot. Can't buckle a seat belt in passenger seat. Right hand is okay grossly but spasms and fine motor mostly gone. Cognitively he is having confusion and memory problems. So I think he's done.

 

[cheerleader]

This is SUCH a loss for guys, especially. Just remember, if he has an accident you can be sued because he KNOWINGLY drove with a neurological condition that impacts reaction time, range of motion, etc. My hubby had difficulty turning his head because of the bulbar, loss of muscles in his neck. Our daughters were the ones who convinced him to stop driving to protect me from being sued and losing our assets. To the end he would say, "I'm not driving but I CAN!" Next to giving up eating, losing his freedom to drive was the hardest thing! (And no doubt about it, it impacts YOU when you have to drive 100% of the time!). Good luck.

 

[Atsugi]

Before Krissy was diagnosed, she totaled our car by rear-ending someone in a rain storm. I look bacfk now and think that perhaps her reactions were slowed by ALS in her brake foot.

I must agree with Cheerleader. ALS can sneak up on you and take your ability to drive away, when you least expect it.

 

[affected]

It's that ability to react in an potential emergency.

Response time either from cognitive issues, medication effects, weakness and/or spasticity just have to be impaired from the start. Deciding when this reaches the line in the sand between driving or not is either difficult to decide or you should have an evaluation.

It's one of the hardest things for many PALS to let go of, but other people's lives are at risk, and if you want to look at it from the view that you could be sued for all you have that's important too.

Nuts what do they do during the assessment?

 

[Nuts]

It's that ability to react in an potential emergency.



Nuts what do they do during the assessment?

Tillie

Tillie, he avoided he assessment by voluntarily opting for hand controls. It was tough, but he finally accepted that he couldn't react properly in an emergency. He's doing well with the hand controls, but I wonder if we will go through the same process when it comes time to give them up.

The thing is, when the clinic insists upon the full clinical assessment it's because they are pretty much convinced the driving is unsafe. I suspect that not too many people who are required to take it pass.

 

[gooseberry]

Steve drives my son the mile and a half to school each morning. There is not a safe walking route. That is all he usually drives although he does get out while I am at work for lunch occasionally. I already do 97% of the driving but I think this will be hard on him. I wish he would just willing turn in his license and not go through with the assessment because I think it is going to be very hard for him to understand what he is no longer capable of doing.

 

[affected]

It's such a difficult time and I know that I spent a lot of energy worrying.

Chris did not give up willingly even after his doctor filled out a certificate of medical incompetence to drive. He did give up, but he did it by telling everyone that I had made him stop ... partial truth. After this certificate was given to us I told him that I would feel responsible now if anything happened because I had it in writing from his doctor. So he agreed amidst much anger at me to hand his licence in.

Nuts I was wondering what they did in the assessment at the clinic that he failed?

 

[lgelb]

Steph, have you told Steve straight out what you're telling us, that you believe doing the tests and failing will be harder than not trying it, and asking directly for his counterargument?

From another PoV, someone with the issues you describe driving even a short route with/toward cars/kids is somewhat unnerving. Maybe there is someone the kids can carpool with, if you can't do it? Sounds like things are headed there either way. But I know guys hate to fail tests and it does seem like energy and angst that could be directed elsewhere.

 

[SMP51]

when my teen son and I refused to get in a vehicle he was driving he finally gave it up.
it is a hard transition

 

[gooseberry]

Yes we had the talk about what failing the assessment means. He will give up the license willing if he fails it. Frankly I don't think there is a chance of him passsing it. I have already talked to another parent about taking our son in the morning. It's just so hard mentally..........

 

[maryhahnward]

My husband had the driving assessment at the VA. The evaluator will not take his license. He will make recommendations back to whomever put in the request for the assessment. My husband passed the evaluation, this was two years ago, and in the last few months has voluntarily decided not to drive anymore though he has not turned in his license.

 

[gooseberry]

Was he asked to sign an information release to dmv?

 

[affected]

Steph but how would you feel if your son was injured in an accident on the way to school because Steve in fact could not react to a sudden situation on the road? How would Steve feel?

To me that outweighs how he may feel about giving driving up ...