STRIVE for Independence of Lombard

STRIVE for Independence of Lombard is a driving school in Lombard, Illinois. It provides driver rehabilitation services for teenagers and adults, combining occupational therapy with driver evaluation and training for clients across a wide range of ages, disabilities, and medical conditions. Services include driver readiness evaluations for those without a valid permit or license, full evaluations for those who hold one, a pre-driving preparation class, and behind-the-wheel driving lessons. The practice also works with older adults and their families, with teens and young adults who need more individualized training than a typical driver education course provides, and with adults returning to driving after stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, amputation, or other conditions. Bioptic Telescopic Systems are available for clients who cannot meet Illinois vision requirements with standard corrective lenses. The business holds a rating of 4.80 from the customers who have reviewed it.

The team is staffed by occupational therapists who are also Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialists, along with state of Illinois certified driving instructors. A full car evaluation runs 2.5 hours and includes a clinical portion covering medical and driving history, functional performance of everyday tasks, and assessments of vision, perception, thinking skills, and physical functioning, followed by a behind-the-wheel portion. A full van evaluation serves wheelchair users who need to drive from their wheelchair or cannot stow it themselves. Therapists hold memberships in the American Occupational Therapy Association, the Illinois Occupational Therapy Association, the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists, and the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association. The school is certified by the state of Illinois and meets Illinois State Board of Education requirements. A physician's order for Occupational Therapy driver evaluation and treatment is required to schedule an evaluation; consultations and educational programs do not require one. Payment options include vouchers from Illinois Vocational Rehab, letters of authorization from worker's compensation and school districts, and self-pay. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 8:00AM to 4:30PM, with Saturday lessons only from 9:00AM to 3:00PM.

The office sits on South Highland Avenue, about a tenth of a mile from the Lombard Fire Department, with Christ the King School and the Green Brook government office each roughly four tenths of a mile away. Manor Hill Elementary School is about six tenths of a mile from the building.

STRIVE for Independence pairs occupational therapy credentials with driver training, which sets it apart from a standard driving school for Lombard residents whose medical conditions, injuries, or vision needs shape how they get back on the road.