No products in the cart.

No products in the cart.

Driving with Cerebral Palsy: Safety Tips, Car Adaptations, and More

practicing driving with cerebral palsy

Just because someone has cerebral palsy doesn’t mean they won’t be able to drive. While cerebral palsy affects an individual’s movements, there are many ways to ensure one’s safety on the road. In fact, obtaining your driver’s license is an excellent way to expand your independence and improve your quality of life.

To help you understand what the process of obtaining a driver’s license is like for individuals with cerebral palsy, this article will discuss:

Is It Safe for People with Cerebral Palsy to Drive?

does cerebral palsy affect driving

Not everyone with cerebral palsy will be able to drive. It depends on the severity of their cerebral palsy, which areas of the body are affected, and what kinds of associated conditions the individual has. Cerebral palsy can affect all different parts of the body. It can affect only the legs, one side of the body, one limb, or the entire body altogether.

Some professionals and therapists are certified or specialize in the area of driving and are called driving rehabilitation specialists. Individuals may work with a driving rehabilitation specialist to explore potential driving options. By allowing an individual with cerebral palsy to drive, their driving rehabilitation specialist must be confident that the driver will not cause harm to themselves or others on the road.

Some conditions commonly experienced by people with cerebral palsy that may compromise safety on the road include:

If a driving rehabilitation specialist decides that the individual’s motor impairments can be safely managed so that they do not interfere with the individual’s ability to operate a vehicle, and that the individual is able to handle the cognitive demands of driving, they may begin the process of obtaining their driver’s license.

Benefits of Driving with Cerebral Palsy

Every case of CP is unique, and while driving may not be safe for some individuals with cerebral palsy, others may be perfectly capable of doing so without causing harm to themselves or others on the road.

Driving can open a whole new world of opportunities for individuals with cerebral palsy. They can go to work, run errands, and socialize without needing to depend on another person for transportation. It also increases community mobility, which can help boost self-confidence, independence, and overall quality of life.

Want 19 pages of CP recovery tips in PDF form? Click here to download our free illustrated ebook now (link opens a pop up for uninterrupted reading)

What Kinds of Car Adaptations Are Available for People with Cerebral Palsy?

car modifications for driving with cerebral palsy

There are many car adaptations that allow individuals with cerebral palsy to drive safely. Car modifications will need to be determined on an individual basis, based upon an individual’s abilities.

Some commonly installed car adaptations include:

  • Hand controls, joysticks
  • Wheelchair lifts
  • Seat adjusters, swivel seats

Also, keep in mind that individuals will need to learn how to use car modifications, which can increase the time required to obtain a driver’s license.

Watch the video below to see how David uses his car adaptations to navigate the road.

How to Get a Driver’s License with Cerebral Palsy

So how does someone with cerebral palsy get a driver’s license? Driving regulations for drivers with disabilities will vary from state-to-state, so check with your DMV to familiarize yourself with your state’s specific driving laws and procedures.

Generally, in order to get a driver’s license, a person with a disability must:

1. Pass the Written Exam

While special accommodations may be made (a verbal test, extra time, etc.), people with cerebral palsy still must take the same tests as everyone else. Individuals must be at least 16 years old to obtain a license but can get a permit and start practicing between ages 14 and 15, depending on the state.

The written portion of the exam is to obtain your learner’s permit. Once you’ve passed the written test, you can practice driving with car adaptations.

2. Sign Up for an Adaptive Driving Program

An adaptive driving program will prepare and guide you through the process of obtaining your driver’s license.

With a physical and psychological evaluation, your doctor along with a driving rehabilitation specialist will determine whether it’s safe for you to start driving. An adaptive driving program may include driving simulations to assess your overall safety, reaction times, and skill using certain adaptations. It will also assess what kinds of vehicle modifications you will need and teach you how to use them.

3. Get Car Adaptations

It’s essential that you have the car adaptations necessary to help you drive safely. Vehicle modifications will help accommodate your motor impairment and make driving much easier.

You will not be allowed to drive without proving that you’ve installed the appropriate car adaptations.

4. Pass the Driving Test

The final step is to pass your physical driving test. After that, you’ll be free to drive on your own! Cerebral palsy can make tasks like driving much more difficult but with enough practice, you’ll learn how to overcome those challenges and boost your independence.

Cerebral Palsy and Driving

Driving can be a great way for individuals with cerebral palsy to be more productive, social, and confident in their abilities.  

Hopefully, this article helped you better understand that having a disability does not automatically exclude someone from driving. By utilizing car adaptations, many people with cerebral palsy can become more independent and drive safely.

Keep it going: Don’t leave behind this free ebook with 19 pages of helpful tips for cerebral palsy

illustration of cerebral palsy tips ebook with example pages

Get our free 19-page PDF full of helpful tips for cerebral palsy by signing up below! If you liked this article, you’ll LOVE our free ebook.

When you sign up, you’ll also receive our popular emails that share more tips for life with cerebral palsy — you can opt out anytime.

We will never sell your email address, and we never spam. That we promise.

More Ways to Recover with Flint Rehab:

Free CP Tips Ebook

illustration of cerebral palsy tips ebook with example pages

Discover Award-Winning Neurorehab Tools

You're on a Roll: Read More Popular Articles About Cerebral Palsy

You’re Really on a Roll: Discover a Program for CP That’s Actually Fun to Do!

At Flint Rehab, we understand that doing physical therapy at home can become tedious and repetitive. But when repetition is critical to recovery, it’s important to stick with a repetitive regimen. But that doesn’t mean it has to be boring.

Flint Rehab is the leading manufacturer of motion-sensing, gamified rehabilitation devices. Our bestselling recovery tool, FitMi, transforms full-body rehab exercises into an interactive experience.

See what individuals with CP are saying about FitMi:

“The FitMi and MusicGlove have done wonders for my son with hemiparesis from cerebral palsy and stroke. It motivates him to do his exercises. It does not seem like therapy for him since it is fun. FitMi monitors his progress so it is a great reinforcement for him. Music is a motivator for him. He has been using it on his arm and we will try the leg exercises soon.”

-Manning

While FitMi is a recovery tool for the full-body, our other device, MusicGlove, helps target the hand to improve fine motor skills and dexterity.

See what others have said about MusicGlove:

“My granddaughter has right-side hemiplegia from Cerebral Palsy / stroke at birth. She states that this is a great product for anyone who has issues with the use of their hand(s), and that is has helped her tremendously. She also finds the music quite catchy (surprisingly!). Our occupational therapist has been impressed as well. I can say that it has arguably been the best tool of all our therapy resources.”

-Jenni

Together, FitMi and MusicGlove make a powerful home therapy regimen for individuals with cerebral palsy. Best of all, you can save money when you bundle them together.

To learn more, click the button below:

ebook cover with the title "Helpful tips for managing cerebral palsy"

Do you have these 19 pages of helpful tips for CP?

Get a free copy of our ebook Helpful Tips for Managing Cerebral Palsy. Click here to get instant access.