The Occupational Therapy Role in Driving and Community Mobility
Across the Lifespan Community mobility is defined as "moving
around in the community and using public or private
transportation, such as driving, walking, bicycling, or
accessing and riding in buses, taxi cabs, or other
transportation systems" (AOTA, 2008, p. 631). Community mobility
is grounded in independence, spontaneity, and identity. It
begins when we are passengers in a car seat and on the school
bus, and continues as we learn to ride a bike and drive a car.
Although the mode of transportation may change, the meaning
remains constant: transport from one location to another enables
participation in the things we want and need to do
(occupations). Because occupational therapy practitioners focus
on enabling participation, they are natural professionals to
address driving and community mobility across the lifespan.
Occupational therapy evaluations for community mobility may
focus on screening for passenger safety, school system capacity
to tra