CDRS key terms

A specialized service that evaluates and trains people with medical, physical, cognitive, or visual conditions so they can drive safely or use alternative transportation.

A structured clinical and on-road assessment of a person's abilities, limitations, and safety behind the wheel, used to recommend fitness to drive or needed training.

The off-road portion of a driving evaluation covering vision, cognition, physical function, and medical history before any behind-the-wheel testing.

Direct observation of a person's actual driving performance in traffic, scored against defined criteria to judge safety and skill.

A clinical and legal judgment that a person's medical, sensory, cognitive, and functional status allows safe operation of a motor vehicle.

Modified controls and devices, such as hand controls, spinner knobs, or left-foot accelerators, that let a driver with impairments operate a vehicle.

Mechanical or electronic devices that let a driver operate the accelerator and brake with the hands instead of the feet.

A knob attached to the steering wheel that allows one-handed steering, often paired with reduced-effort steering or other adaptations.

Any modification to the steering system, such as a spinner knob, reduced-effort column, or secondary control, that matches steering demands to a driver's ability.

Structural or mechanical changes to a vehicle, including lifts, ramps, transfer seats, and control adaptations, made to accommodate a driver or passenger with a disability.

A vehicle fitted with a ramp or lift, lowered floor, and securement system so a person can drive or ride while seated in a wheelchair.

A system of straps, tie-downs, or docking hardware that locks a wheelchair in place inside a vehicle to prevent movement during travel.

Seat belts and related systems, including postural supports for people with limited trunk control, that protect a vehicle occupant in a crash.

Instruction in safely moving between a wheelchair and a vehicle seat or driver's position, including technique, equipment use, and energy conservation.

A powered or manual seat that extends or rotates outside the vehicle to help a person move from wheelchair to driving position.

Structured driving instruction in a vehicle, adapted to the learner's needs, to build or restore the skills required for safe independent driving.

A planned course of urban, suburban, and highway segments selected to sample the driving skills and hazards relevant to a client's situation.

The total area a person can see without moving the eyes, a key factor in detecting hazards and meeting licensing vision standards.

The sharpness of central vision, usually measured with a Snellen-type chart, used to judge whether a driver meets minimum seeing standards.

The area over which a person can rapidly detect and process information in a single glance, a measure linked to crash risk in older drivers.

Brief standardized testing of attention, memory, processing speed, and executive function to flag thinking problems that may affect driving.

The delay between a driving hazard appearing and the driver beginning a response such as braking or steering.

The interval from hazard onset to actual brake application, combining decision and movement time; used in simulators and on-road measures.

A computer-based system that recreates driving scenes and controls to assess or train skills safely without real traffic risk.

The planned process of stopping driving and adopting alternative transportation, ideally introduced early and with support.

Options other than self-driven cars, such as public transit, paratransit, rideshare, or family rides, that preserve community mobility.

A person's ability to reach work, health care, social, and daily destinations using whatever transportation means are available.

A formal process in which licensing authorities examine a driver's medical information to decide whether restrictions or further testing are needed.

A condition placed on a license, such as daylight-only driving, a limited radius, or required adaptive equipment, to reduce risk.

A client's voluntary agreement to evaluation or training after understanding its purpose, risks, limits of confidentiality, and alternatives.

The ethical and legal duty to protect a client's health and driving information, sharing it only with proper authorization or as required by law.

A legal obligation in some jurisdictions for clinicians to notify licensing authorities about drivers with certain medical conditions.

Written records of assessment findings, test scores, recommendations, equipment fitted, and training progress that support clinical and legal decisions.

A group of professionals, such as an occupational therapist, driving instructor, and physician, who combine expertise to plan and deliver driver rehabilitation.

A credential held by a professional who has met education, experience, and examination requirements to deliver driver rehabilitation services.

A progressive disorder such as Parkinson's disease or dementia that gradually impairs function and requires ongoing review of driving safety.

Declining eyesight from conditions such as glaucoma or macular degeneration that may require periodic reassessment of driving ability.

Driving by a person missing a limb, typically enabled through prosthetic use or adaptive controls matched to the residual limb.

Return to driving after spinal cord injury, usually requiring hand controls, wheelchair transfer or accessible vehicle features, and retraining.