Enhanced road assessment

Prepare for your assessment by checking your own driving. Have you found yourself in situations suggesting you need to improve your driving? For example:

• Nearly hitting other vehicles or pedestrians
• Confusing the gas and brake pedals
• Misjudging left turns
• Excessive braking
• Hitting curbs
• Getting lost in familiar places

Driving skills can change. You may need to adjust your driving to ensure your own safety and the safety of others.

Practice

Practice your driving skills before your assessment. Ask another driver to watch your driving and give feedback. This can help you find areas for improvement.

Read ICBC’s study guides

Read the guides “Learn to Drive Smart” and “Tuning up for Drivers” for information on the driving skills assessed in the assessment. These guides are on the ICBC website.

Take a refresher course from a driving school

For a list of local driving schools, visit ICBC's Driver Training Industry Support website.

Use a familiar vehicle in good working order

To put you at ease, ICBC does the assessment in the vehicle you provide.

Before your assessment, you should:

• Ensure your seat is in a comfortable position
• Check the position of your mirrors
• Know your vehicle's controls, including its defrost, windshield wipers and high-beams

The vehicle you use must be reliable. If the examiner finds it's not, they'll stop your assessment.

For more information on vehicle safety requirements, visit the ICBC website.

The day of your assessment

Arrive about 15 minutes before your appointment. Allow yourself time to check in and avoid feeling rushed. Try to relax and feel confident in your practice.

An enhanced road assessment takes about 90 minutes and is a:

• Pre-trip vehicle orientation
• 45 minute on-road drive
• Post-trip review

During the orientation, your examiner will inspect your vehicle to ensure it's safe. They'll ask you to use the vehicle's signals, headlights, and the gas and brake pedals.

During the on-road assessment, your examiner will ask you to:

Conduct basic driving manoeuvre

This includes making turns, navigating intersections and traffic lights, and changing lanes. Remember to use your mirrors, conduct shoulder checks and keep to speed limits. Also, come to a complete stop at stop signs and red lights, and only go when safe.

Adjust vehicle controls

This includes adjusting controls like wipers or high-beams while the vehicle's in motion.

Follow multi-step directions

The examiner will give you a three-step driving direction to remember and follow. For example, turn right at the next intersection, then turn left at the traffic light, and then left at the stop sign.

Reverse a driving route

The examiner will ask you to drive a few blocks from a specific location and then follow the exact route back.

Mid-point Driving Assessment Examiner Feedback

The examiner will take a five-minute break at the mid-point of the on-road drive to give you feedback. This is an opportunity to incorporate the feedback and improve your driving for the second half of the assessment.

Your post-trip review

Once you are back at the ICBC driver licensing office, you will have your post-trip review.

Your examiner will discuss the results of your assessment with you. They will outline any errors, traffic violations, dangerous actions or other concerns. (A “dangerous action” is an action or inaction that results in or could cause a collision or loss of vehicle control.)

Depending on your enhanced road assessment, two things could happen.

If you have a traffic violation or dangerous action or other concerning driving behaviour, you will be issued a learner's licence. If they issue you one, you must have a licensed supervisor in the vehicle when you drive.

You will have this learner's licence until a licensing decision is made by RoadSafetyBC.

If you don't have any violations, dangerous actions or concerning driving behaviour, you will leave with your full licence.

Re-assessments

The driver examiner will send your results to RoadSafetyBC. Further assessments are at the discretion of RoadSafetyBC. We will send you a letter to let you know our licensing decision and any next steps.

RoadSafetyBC will send you a letter referring you for an enhanced road assessment. Make your appointment as soon as you receive it. This helps ensure you do your assessment in time.

To book your appointment, call ICBC at:

• Victoria                250-978-8300
• Lower Mainland   604-982-2250
• Toll free              1-800-950-1498

What you must bring

• Your driver’s licence
• A second piece of ID with your name and signature (Visit ICBC for accepted ID)
• A vehicle in good working order
• Proof of valid vehicle registration
• A companion who holds a valid driver’s licence (in case you're issued a learner’s licence after your assessment)
• Your glasses or contact lenses if you need them to drive or read
• Your referral letter from RoadSafetyBC

RoadSafetyBC or ICBC may restrict your licence following an assessment. This is to ensure you can operate your motor vehicle safely and drive within your ability.

We add restrictions when a driver:

• Has a medical condition or functional difficulty, or
• Uses a device or technology to drive

For example, a driver with limited vision may have to wear corrective lenses when driving.

We cannot restrict your licence to a specific location or time.

ICBC will forward your enhanced road assessment results to us for review. We will review it within 14 days of your assessment.

We review assessment results in the order they’re received. The only exception are results examiners identify for immediate review for safety concerns.

We’ll decide based on the results of your assessment and any:

• Driving errors
• Traffic violations
• Dangerous actions
• Other safety concerns

We’ll also consider:

• Your response to feedback during your assessment
• Reports from family members, physicians and police

We may ask you for more medical information or another assessment.

We’ll let you know in writing whether your licence is:

• Maintained
• Re-issued
• Restricted, or
• Cancelled

If we need more medical information or another assessment, we will let you know in writing.

You’re responsible for ensuring your mailing address is correct. Please contact RoadSafetyBC to confirm it.

Please note: RoadSafetyBC will make a decision on your file within 14 days and send you a letter. 

Review of a decision

You can apply for a review of our decision. Decision letters outline the process and the information you'll need.

Retiring from driving

If your licence is cancelled or you choose not to do this assessment, help is available for you to retire from driving.

Identification

You can exchange your licence for a BC Identification card. It includes your photo and the same security features as a driver’s licence. It's accepted anywhere a licence is.

Get yours at any ICBC driver licensing office.

Alternative transportation

Visit SeniorsBC.ca and the Medically At-Risk Driver Centre’s database for options to driving.

You can request a review of our decision to cancel your licence because of an enhanced road assessment.

You can make a request if:

• You believe the decision wasn't administratively fair
• Your medical condition has improved

You can request a review after we have cancelled your licence.

Reviews aren’t conducted by the adjudicator or case manager who made the original decision.

There is no fee.

Request a review

1. Review the information in the original cancellation letter
2. Write an explanation of the reasons we should review our decision
3. Send it to RoadSafetyBC

Submit all the information for us to consider. Be sure to include copies of your updated medical information.

We will provide you with a written decision. You’re responsible for ensuring your mailing address is correct. Please contact RoadSafetyBC to confirm it.

More information about reviews is in Part 5 of the Enhanced Road Assessment Policy [PDF, 377KB].