ECMC
462 Grider Street
Buffalo, New York 14215
General Phone: (716) 898-3000
General Web Address: www.ecmc.edu
DRV-001-1/11-Q1000
The ECMC Corporation includes an advanced
academic medical center (ECMC) with 550 inpatient
beds and 136 skilled nursing home beds, on- and
off-campus health centers, over 40 outpatient specialty
care clinics, and the Erie County Home, a skilled
nursing facility. ECMC is the regional center for trauma,
burn care, rehabilitation, and is a major teaching facility
for the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Most ECMC physicians, dentists, and pharmacists are
dedicated faculty members of the University. More
Western New York residents are choosing ECMC for
exceptional patient care and customer service provided
as a result of its Culture of Care.
Program Overview
Driver Evaluation
Program
ECMC
An affiliate of the University at Buffalo
School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Department of Occupational Therapy
THE CULTURE OF CARE THE CULTURE OF CARE
Special Service for
Western New York
Department of
Occupational Therapy (716) 898-3225
email: driveinf[email protected]
The ECMC Driver Evaluation
Program should be used to determine
an individual’s ability to initiate or
resume driving, given a physical,
cognitive, or visual impairment.
The evaluation provides both physicians
and patients with objective, functional,
and performance information regarding
an individual’s ability to operate a motor
vehicle safely and independently.
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The Driver Evaluation Program is conducted by
licensed occupational therapists who are driver
rehabilitation specialists. The evaluation includes
a clinical and functional assessment and a road test.
Specific evaluation components include:
• An actual driving performance using the specialized
driving equipment required by the individual
• Reaction time testing
• Strength and functional endurance
• Coordination
• Cognitive skills
• Visual perception
Who Should be Referred?
Evaluation Components
Services
Individuals referred to the program fall into one of
the following categories:
• Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA)
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Amputations
• Orthopaedic/Multiple Trauma
• Muscular Dystrophy (MD)
• Cerebral Palsy (CP)
• Learning Disabled/Mental Retardation
• Older Drivers
Diagnostic Groups
To receive a driver evaluation, a person must
be referred by:
• A physician, who must provide a prescription
stating “occupational therapy driver evaluation”
• A neuropsychologist
• A court system
• The Department of Motor Vehicles
• The patient (self-referral) or a family member
To make an appointment, or for more informa-
tion, contact ECMC’s Outpatient Occupational
Therapy Department at (716) 898-3225.
Any individual whose ability to initiate or resume
driving is in doubt, or when a physical, cognitive,
or visual impairment presents a possible risk to
independent driving.
Requirements for Referral
Focus on Ability, Not Disability
About ECMC’s Rehabilitation
Department
ECMC’s Rehabilitation Medicine
Department is the oldest and largest acute
level inpatient rehabilitation unit in the area.
The region’s first spinal cord injury unit was
opened at ECMC in 1979, and in 1982 the
head trauma program was established. In
addition to occupational therapy, the depart-
ment also includes physiatry, physical therapy,
and speech therapy services.
The driver evaluation is completed in a specially
equipped car to determine an individual’s driving
safety and possible need for adaptive driving
equipment.
This special equipment may include: hand or foot
controls, steering device modifications, a panoramic
mirror, or a left gas accelerator.
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