10.12.3 Assessing eligibility for MVCS

A person will only be entitled to compensation under the MVCS if an approved program provider or a Driver Trained Specialist Occupational Therapist has made a written recommendation that they are satisfied on reasonable grounds that the person would derive benefit directly from driving or being driven in a motor vehicle. The approved program provider or Driver Trained Specialist Occupational Therapist may take into account the benefits to the person’s physical and mental health and the person’s level of mobility without access to an appropriately modified motor vehicle.

Note: A person is not to be taken to derive benefit directly through the use of the motor vehicle by another person.

The person must also be able to derive benefit from the motor vehicle at least twice in any week.

If the person is to derive benefit from the motor vehicle by driving it themselves, the person must:

• have a valid driver’s licence or be capable of obtaining one; and
• undertake a driving assessment which can be conducted by an approved program provider or occupational therapist who is a qualified driving assessor. The aim of this assessment is for the approved program provider or occupational therapist to be satisfied that the motor vehicle is safe for the person to drive.

Otherwise, if the person is to derive benefit from the motor vehicle by being driven in it, the person’s partner or carer must have a valid driver’s license.

Driver Trained Specialist Occupational Therapists

Driver Trained Specialist Occupational Therapists (OT) – are attached to large rehabilitation centres in most Australian capital cities. These are specialist OT have gained additional qualifications, Driver Trained, and are nationally registered with all state and territory Road Traffic Authorities. They are qualified to assess a person’s need for motor vehicle modifications and recommend such modifications. They are also qualified to train drivers on how to safely use modifications.

Driver Trained Specialist OT can be located on the Occupational Therapist Association website of each state and territory.  Alternatively, Driver Trained Specialist OT can be located on the Road Traffic Authority website of each state or territory.