Driving after
stroke
Summary
•Having a stroke can affect your
ability to drive in many ways.
•You need a doctor’s medical
clearance to return to driving after
a stroke or transient ischaemic
attack (TIA). Some people may also
need to have a driving assessment.
•Some people may be able to drive
again, other people may not be
able to drive again.
•If you can no longer drive, there are
other forms of transport available.
Driving is a serious activity that requires many
skills. Even though you may be able to do many
activities you were able to do before your stroke,
you may still have difficulties with driving. This is
because driving is a complex task. To drive, you
need a combination of eye sight, physical and
thinking skills. You also need to be able to react
quickly and have an understanding of road laws
and rules. After a stroke, some of these skills
may be impaired. This may impact on your ability
to drive safely. It is important that you are aware
of how these changes affect your ability to drive.
Fact Sheet
Call StrokeLine 1800 STROKE (787 653)
What can affect my ability to
drive?
After a stroke, you may have one or more of the
following difficulties:
• Physical or sensory changes. For example
weakness or numbness in your arm and/or leg.
• Slower reaction time. This may impact on
your ability to respond to changes in the road
conditions. For example, traffic lights changing
or a child suddenly running out onto the road.
• Reduced memory, concentration, or the ability
to solve problems. For example, remembering
the way to the shops, or thinking of what to do
if traffic situations change.
• Difficulty with eye sight and visual perception.
• Difficulty reading, for example road signs.
• Increased fatigue. When you are tired, you
don’t respond as quickly to changing traffic
conditions. Problem solving may also be more
difficult.
• Increased risk of epilepsy.
How does a TIA affect my
driving ?
A TIA happens when the blood supply to the
brain is interrupted for a short period of time. If
you’ve had one or more TIAs, your driving licence
Fact Sheet | Driving after stroke
Driving after stroke
could be affected in some states of Australia. If
you have had a TIA, it is your responsibility to
find out if your state licencing authority (see list
on the back page) will put any conditions on your
licence. It is recommended that you not drive for
at least two weeks following a TIA.
What if I want to start driving
again?
In general, you should not drive for at least one
month after a stroke or two weeks following a TIA.
Speak to your doctor before you start to drive
again. Your doctor may give you medical
clearance to return to driving if you have made
a good recovery from the stroke and you don’t
have any impairments that affect your ability to
drive. Your doctor may recommend a formal
driving assessment (see below) before you can
return to driving.
It is your legal responsibility to tell the licencing
authority about any changes to your medical
status (for example if you have had stroke or TIA).
Reporting these changes does not necessarily
mean you will lose your licence. However, if you
do not tell the licencing authority that you have
had a medical condition that has a permanent
or long term impact on your ability to drive, you
could be criminally liable if you have an accident.
In this case, your insurance would be null and
void. In some states, licensing authorities may
need you to provide medical clearance before
they let you start driving again.
For more information, contact the licencing
authority in your state (see list over the page) or
ask a relevant health professional, whether this
be your general practitioner, medical team or
occupational therapist.
Who will do the driving
assessment?
You will need to be referred to an occupational
therapist trained in driving assessment. If you are
still in hospital, your treating team can organise a
driving assessment if needed.
For a list of occupational therapists trained in
driving assessment and rehabilitation, please
contact Member Associations of OT AUSTRALIA
(The Australian Association of Occupational
Therapists) in your state (see list over the page).
Some occupational therapy services charge fees.
What will happen during the
assessment?
The assessment usually has two steps.
Step 1: An off-road test. This part tests your
general knowledge of road rules. If you
are successful, an on-road test will be
conducted.
Step 2: An on-road test is usually with the
occupational therapy driving assessor
and a qualified driving instructor. This
part tests your physical and mental
abilities in driving.
Your state licencing authority may have more
information on driving assessments.
Outcomes of my driving
assessment
There are several possible outcomes of a driving
assessment. These include:
What if I can’t drive again?
If your licence is cancelled, there are other forms
of transport available You could use trams, trains,
buses or taxis. This will depend on where you live
and how well you can walk or move around.
• Keep your full licence. (You may need to have a • You can apply for taxi vouchers to reduce the
medical check-up every year.)
cost of using taxis.
• Conditional licence. For example, you may
• Most state governments fund subsidy
only be allowed to drive an automatic car or
programs. These programs offer discounts
modified car, or you may only be able to drive
to people who have a severe or permanent
at certain times during the day or week.
disability which affect how they walk or move
• Suspended/cancelled licence. This means you
can no longer drive. This may be reviewed if
your medical condition improves.
• Driving rehabilitation may be recommended.
This may involve:
o modifying - or changing - your car (for
example, using hand controls).
o taking driving lessons to regain skills
and confidence.
around. For more information, contact your
state licencing authority.
• Local councils often run community transport
services. These can help you get to an
appointment with your doctor and to your local
shopping centre.
• Local supermarkets often have a free home
delivery service.
o seeing another health professional (for
example an eye specialist).
What if I am not satisfied with
the outcome of my
assessment?
If you disagree with a decision, you have the
right to a second opinion. You also have the right
to appeal in court. You may need to seek legal
advice.
Fact Sheet | Driving after stroke
For more information:
State Licencing Authorities contacts
Australian Capital Territory
ACT Road Transport Authority
www.rego.act.gov.au
Phone 13 22 81
South Australia
Department of Planning, Transport
and Infrastructure
www.transport.sa.gov.au
Phone 13 10 84
New South Wales
Roads and Traffic Authority NSW
www.rta.nsw.gov.au
Phone 13 22 13
Tasmania
Department of Infrastructure, Energy
& Resources; Transport
www.transport.tas.gov.au
Phone 1300 851 225
Northern Territory
Transport Group, Motor Vehicle Registry
www.transport.nt.gov.au/mvr
Phone 1300 654 628
Victoria
VicRoads
www.vicroads.vic.gov.au
Phone 13 11 71
Queensland
Transport and Main Roads
www.tmr.qld.gov.au
Phone 132 380
Western Australia
Department of Transport
www.transport.wa.gov.au
Phone 13 11 56
National Stroke Foundation
National Office
Level 7, 461 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 9670 1000
Email: [email protected]
www.strokefoundation.com.au
We have offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Hobart
and Perth.
Occupational Therapy Australia Ltd.
Toll free: 1300 682 878
Email: [email protected]
www.ausot.com.au
Call StrokeLine 1800 STROKE (787 653)
The current edition of Assessing your fitness to
drive contains national medical standards for
drivers and is available at www.austroads.com.au
For a complete list of fact sheets, visit our online
library at www.strokefoundation.com.au
© National Stroke Foundation. This fact sheet was developed by the
National Stroke Foundation together with OT Australia.
FS01_Feb2013
Printed on 100% recycled paper.
Fact Sheet | Driving after stroke