Cleveland Clinic Adult Driver Evaluation and Rehabilitation

Adults who’ve experienced any physical, neurological, visual or cognitive change in function that has impacted their driving performance may benefit from a driving assessment. Our goal is to help people return to independent driving, as long as they’re safe to do so.

If you have a family member or friend who answers yes to these questions, they should consider discussing a driver rehabilitation program with their healthcare provider. Their provider may ask questions, like:

  • Are there conditions in which you have difficulty driving, or don’t drive at all?
  • Do other drivers honk at you, or do other drivers easily frustrate you?
  • Do you have pain, decreased range of motion, decreased strength or other issues that make driving difficult?
  • Have you recently gotten lost or confused while driving?

Cleveland Clinic’s Driver Evaluation and Rehabilitation Program provides a clinical and on-the-road assessment of driving skills with recommendations to the client, family and physician. Clinical assessment testing — developed with resources from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, Maryland Older Driver Project, and the American Medical Association’s Assessment and Counseling of Older Drivers — includes:

  • Vision function.
  • Visual perception.
  • Cognitive function.
  • Strength and range of motion.
  • Reaction time.

People entering this program potentially undergo a two-step process that consists of:

  1. A Clinical Occupational Therapy evaluation: A review of the person’s medical chart and their healthcare provider’s recommendations, followed by an assessment of vision, visual perceptual skills, cognition, range of motion, strength and reaction time. Recommendations to the client, their family and the referring provider are made at the end of the evaluation process.
  2. An on-the-road assessment: An assessment conducted in a Cleveland Clinic vehicle adapted for driving evaluations.

The initial clinical evaluation and treatment requires a physician order for an Occupational Therapy Driving Evaluation, which medical insurance will often cover. If the determined individual is safe to do an on-the-road assessment and/or treatment, the program becomes self-pay at a rate of $100 per hour. We accept cash or credit for the driver assessments. Payment is due the day of the on-road session.

We’re here to help older drivers, their families and their healthcare provider through a difficult, but important, change in lifestyle. To make an appointment, please call 216.444.6262.

Located at four convenient locations:

Cleveland Clinic’s Main Campus – Mellen Center
1950 E. 89th St., Desk U-10
Cleveland, OH 44195

Euclid Hospital
18901 Lakeshore Blvd.
Euclid, OH 44119

Fairview Hospital Wellness Center
3035 Wooster Rd.
Rocky River, OH 44116

Akron General Rehabilitation and Sports Therapy, Lakemore
1500 Canton Rd.
Akron, Ohio 44312

Mercy Hospital Urgent & Outpatient Care, North Canton
6200 Whipple Ave.
North Canton, OH 44720