Blogs

The 15 -21 November 2020, is National Road Safety Week, shining a light on road safety and remembering those who have lost their lives on the road. 

 

In Australia, every year 44,000 people are seriously injured on our roads. Road trauma can have long-term health, well-being and financial implications on individuals, families, and the community.

 

Today we share Ismail’s journey from injury to rehabilitation to safely returning to driving.

 

Ismail was involved in a motor vehicle accident (MVA) in 2018, resulting in head, vision, spinal and other orthopaedic injuries.

 

After a long period of rehabilitation, Ishmail was motivated to return to driving. 

 

In late 2018, Ismail first completed an Occupational Therapy Driving Assessment with Indigo (formerly Independent Living Centre WA), the OT Driver Assessor found he was not ready to return to driving due to upper limb weakness and reduced visual-cognitive abilities.

 

Ismail focused further on his recovery and made great progress in his movement, strength, and cognitive function. Earlier this year he completed a second Occupational Therapy Driving Assessment with Indigo, and this time he was deemed a candidate to pursue returning to driving. 

 

To rebuild confidence behind the wheel, he underwent a course of driving rehabilitation with Indigo.   The aim of the program is to assist individuals to return to driving in a safe and supportive manner. Driving rehabilitation focuses on gradually increasing driver exposure to denser traffic and vehicle handling demands. 

 

Ismail finished his course of driving rehabilitation in August of this year (2020) and passed a practical driving assessment. Ismail has achieved his goal of safely returning to driving. It brings incredible joy to the team at Indigo to see Ismail regain his independence in the community.