Motor vehicle adaptive equipment for drivers with physical disabilities and providing a penalty. (FE)

The bill defines "clinical evaluation" as an evaluation of a client's range of motion, strength, sensation, perception, visual and cognitive skills, kinesthetic awareness, and medical history. Third, the client must certify to the installer that the client has received a "behind-the-wheel evaluation," which is defined as an evaluation involving the client's use of adaptive equipment to determine the adaptive equipment that is appropriate for the client. The behind-the-wheel evaluation must be performed by an occupational therapist or physician who has an unexpired driver rehabilitation specialist certification issued by the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists or a successor organization, or who is training for such certification under the supervision of a person who has such certification. In addition, the occupational therapist or physician must also be a qualified driving instructor. Also, the behind-the-wheel evaluation must be performed in a motor vehicle that satisfies the requirements of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) for driver training cars.

Fourth, the client must provide the installer with a document, which the bill refers to as a vehicle modification order, that specifies the adaptive equipment that is determined to be appropriate for the client. The vehicle modification order must be made by the occupational therapist or physician who performed the behind-the-wheel evaluation. Fifth, the installer may only install the adaptive equipment specified in the vehicle modification order. A person who installs adaptive equipment in violation of the foregoing requirements is subject to a civil forfeiture of not more than $200.

The bill also prohibits DOT from issuing a driver's license to a person if DOT determines that special mechanical controls are required for the person to safely operate a motor vehicle, unless the person provides DOT with certifications that the the person received the clinical and behind-the-wheel evaluations described above.

In addition, the person must provide DOT with a certification from the occupational therapist or physician who performed the behind-the-wheel evaluation that adaptive equipment was installed as specified in the vehicle modification order made by the occupational therapist or physician.