Learning to drive

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The Potential to Drive process

The Potential to Drive (PTD) assessment helps to ascertain whether you have the potential to drive a car, and what extra provisions or supports may be required to help you achieve your goal of becoming an independent driver. This can be commenced before or after obtaining your learner permit test.

The PTD process helps to: 

• assess your potential to drive if you have difficulty learning the road law required to undertake your learners permit. If PTD is supported following the test, your OT can help arrange support for you to work towards your obtaining your learners permit. 
• understand any physical and/or cognitive special needs to enable support for any required funding applications (i.e. NDIS) as early as possible. Funding applications may be reviewed to support learning needs for specialised driving instruction and the purchase and installation of clinically appropriate vehicle modifications and driving controls.

The PTD assessment includes:

1. An Off Road assessment with the participant and the OT which includes both physical and cognitive assessments to determine underlying skills that may impact or support potential to learn to drive.
2. An On Road passenger assessment in a driving instructors vehicle with the instructor and the OT. This assesses your ability to focus on and interpret the driving environment, and problem solve and understand vehicle positioning. If you do not have your learners permit we may also arrange for a trial drive at an off road driver facility to determine your ability to learn to handle a vehicle. 
3. Once you have gained your learners permit, an on road driving assessment will be arranged to assess your functional abilities as a driver. This will include trial of any required vehicle modifications. Following this assessment, a report will be sent to VicRoads and any funding agencies that may be supporting your goal to learn to drive (e.g. NDIS).

* a learner permit is not required to undertake the On Road passenger assessment (#2)

*medical clearance will need to be obtained from VicRoads prior to undertaking the on road driving trial (#3)  

Getting your learners permit

Help is available if you are struggling to learn road law.

Contact our practice for more information.

Getting your Probationary licence

If you are a learner and have been previously asked to undertake an OT driving assessment you may be able to complete your probationary licence test with an Occupational Therapist. This will be discussed with you at the time of your initial assessment.

Before completing your probationary licence test you must have done the following: 

• Submitted a medical report to VicRoads that is not more than 6 months old
• Completed your Hazard Perception test within the last 12 months
• If under 21 years of age, have completed and logged a minimum of 120 hours of driving practice and had your log book signed off at a VicRoads customer service centre