Overview

• Driving is not just about getting from one place to another; often, it is about how we conduct our lives. Losing the ability to drive or choosing to limit where we drive can mean losing more than just transportation. It can mean losing our independence.
• Georgia Driving School’s friendly instructors are trained to build your confidence and assist you in retaining your driver’s license and your independence. You can feel relaxed because you will be in trusted hands from the minute you arrive.
• Georgia Driving School understands the need for older drivers who are capable of driving safely to continue to do so as long as they do not cause harm to themselves or others. Approximately 80% of seniors taking our evaluation are able to continue driving years after everyone else, family, friends, and others have said they need to surrender their keys.

Who needs a Certified Older Driver Evaluation?

• If you have had a medical condition that could affect your driving abilities
• Change in your Vision
• Concerns about Medications you are taking and their effect on driver safety
• Recently moved into a new city
• You most recently have become the primary driver
• Family, Friends, Doctors, Police or others have told you that you shouldn’t be driving
• If there has been a long period since you last drove
• If you have been diagnosed with Dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease
• If you are noticing mental and physical changes because of your age
• To gain or re-gain your confidence

The Process

• Step 1: Have your physician make the referral or just call or come by Georgia Driving School. No referral necessary to start the process.
• Step 2: Complete the Historical Questionaries’ about your health, online in the comfort of your home. Many persons have their older children, friend or Caregiver help with this process. If you have no one who can help complete the questionnaire no worries we can assist you with this process
• Step 3: Complete a Clinical Evaluation where we will check your Vision, Range of Motion, Motor Strength, Reaction Time, review your Prescription Medications for any concerns, and several Cognitive test like, CDT, MoCA, Trail Making Part A and B and others.
• Step 4: Complete a Behind the Wheel Evaluation of your actual driving skills.
• Step 5: Final Certified Older Driver Evaluation Report (CODE)

• We will provide a comprehensive evaluation including the questionnaire, clinical, Medications of Concern, and the Behind the wheel results. We can provide a refresher course to further sharpen the driver’s skills or vehicle modifications as necessary. Information may also be provided regarding driving retirement and alternative modes of transportation, if appropriate.
• Older drivers generally will drive many years longer and the adult children can have peace of mind that a trained evaluator has given a professional evaluation.
• Doctors can rely on the evaluation when counseling with patients who have reached an advanced age or with a patient who is recovering from a physical injury or surgery. Our evaluation is comprehensive and addresses all seven of the critical areas in which drivers could be experiencing difficulties, Historical, Mental, Physical, Spiritual, Financial, Social and Future.
• Older drivers may wish to take a 2-hour refresher course prior to any evaluation. Others may desire to take a refresher course, if they have not driven in a while or just moved into a new area unfamiliar to them.

• Who will see the written results of the Evaluation? The written evaluation is furnished only to the persons or entities that the senior who is being evaluated instructs the school to furnish a copy too. We generally are requested to furnish copies to physicians, adult children.
• If I don’t pass my evaluation will I lose my Driver’s license? We do not make referrals to the Georgia Department of Drivers Services or the Alabama Department of Motor Vehicles causing a Driver’s License Suspension, Cancellation or Revocation.
• Who administers the Evaluation? The Evaluation is basically three parts, questionnaires which you complete, The Clinical Evaluation may be performed by an Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, or by others who have been trained to administer such tests. The Behind the Wheel Evaluations is performed by one of several of Georgia Driving School’s friendly, patient, and highly skilled state certified driving instructors
• Whose vehicle will be used for the Evaluation? All evaluations are given in Georgia Driving School’s vehicles. We maintains a fleet of Toyota Camry and Toyota Carrolas.
• How often do I need to take the Evaluation? Older Drivers should take the evaluation every 6 months, if they have a diagnosis of Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Macular degeneration and other degenerative conditions or as a circumstance may change in the older driver’s life requiring an earlier evaluation.
• When will the Evaluation be conducted? We administer evaluations 7 days a week from 10 am till 4 pm. All evaluations are given by appointment only. Call 478-755-8888 for available dates and times
• Where will the Evaluation be given? There are three parts to the evaluation: an historical questionnaire clinical evaluation, and then the behind-the-wheel evaluation.
• Questionnaires: Completed in the comfort of your home
• Clinical Evaluation: The clinical portion of the evaluation may be conducted in our office, a local outpatient rehab center or your home.
• Behind-the-Wheel: The road evaluation will be conducted on the streets where the senior typically drives—from the home to the grocery store, pharmacy, doctor’s office, church, and nearby friends’ and relatives’ homes. We want to take the same routes the senior will be most often driving.
• How much does the Evaluation Cost? The initial evaluation costs $250.00

Older Driver Refresher & Training Courses

Overview

• Older drivers may wish to take a 2-hour refresher course prior to any evaluation. Others may desire to take a refresher course, if they have not driven in a while or just moved into a new area unfamiliar to them. Our 2-hour refresher course is $150 and is aimed to reinforce driving skills.
• Drivers may also desire to take a classroom Defensive Driving Course to become updated on new traffic laws as well as defensive driving techniques.