How to Care: Driving
How
to Care: Driving
Print Summary
Things to Look For
Risk factors for
impaired driving ability
- illness and medications that cause a decline in perception,
mobility and understanding
- poor vision — especially night vision, failing eyesight
- problems with depth perception
- hearing problems
- slow reflexes
- memory problems
- disorientation
- reduced mobility, such as difficulty turning head
- physical weakness and impairments
- drowsiness
- fatigue
- poor concentration
- lack of judgment
- lack of awareness
Signs of impaired driving ability that may be related to ageing
and illnesses
- weaving, lane shifting
- unsafe left turns
- ignored signs and signals
- stopping at green lights
- inappropriate turns, including turns that are too wide and too
sharp
- unsafe passing
- lane changing without checking
- failure to yield right of way
- difficulty backing up
- improper entrance onto and exit from highways
- confusion at highway entrances and merges
- driving wrong way on highways
- slow driving
- slow response to changes in driving and traffic conditions
- taking too long to reach the destination
- not reaching destination
- getting lost
- unexplained dents in the car
- fender benders/accidents
- traffic tickets
DriveABLE
- is a two-part test specifically designed to measure driving competency of people with cognitive impairment
- includes a 40-minute touch screen computer test of
- memory
- peripheral vision
- judgment
- includes a road test in a dual-brake car for people who pass the computer test
- can provide scientifically-based proof that someone should give up his license
- accepts referral from licensing authorities, physicians, insurance Companies and individuals
- costs $250 for the computer test; $75 for the road test
- is considered a medical expense for income tax purposes
- is in use in Alberta, Quebec and British Columbia
If the person should discontinue driving:
- find out whether family members and friends will be able to drive the person to regular activities and
appointments
- investigate alternative transportation arrangements such as public transit, taxis and transportation services
- discuss the situation with the driver in a non-threatening environment
- offer alternatives
- have someone the driver trusts ask him to hand over his license
- hide the car keys, modify the car so that it cannot be driven, or remove it from sight, if necessary
- report the driver to the authorities, if you have no other option
- ask the family doctor to send a letter to the licensing authorities
- contact the auto insurance company and explain the situation
Note: Physicians who report patients are immune from prosecution.