We often get calls and messages from concerned family members about the driving skills of an older adult in their life. There are a lot of aspects to that conversation and today I will just focus on the Colorado Laws and how to restrict access to a vehicle. In a future blog I will address different aspects of driving and why people often feel as though they are good drivers even if the reality is that they are causing issues on the road.
So, to narrow down the question let’s use this recent inquiry – I am concerned about my mom’s safety and that of others on the road because of the symptoms of her dementia, how can I get her to stop driving?
For many families the discussion about “stopping driving” is met with great resistance by the person whose driving is in question. Many family members are in a position of feeling as though their loved one should not be driving, but they do not have concrete evidence that their loved one is unsafe. How can you determine whether your loved one is fit to drive?
We recommend that you start with a comprehensive driver evaluation through Fitness to Drive.
A referral for a driving evaluation can start with a physician, eye doctor, or a family member. We are able to provide an objective third party evaluation that takes into account physical skills, vision, cognition as well as many social and environmental factors. Our evaluation takes place in the clinic as well as in the vehicle to get a full picture of abilities and areas of concern. Sometimes a person can continue to drive on a restricted basis, such as daylight driving only or driving within a certain mile radius of home.
Doctors as well as family members benefit from having an objective report of driving ability to support their actions around driving privileges. Please schedule a free consult call to discuss specifics of your situation.
If your loved one is deemed to be unfit to drive, below are some ways to prevent them from driving.
Remove access to the vehicle: I recently worked with a client who was asked by his daughter to stop driving and she removed his vehicle keys from his house. A few months later his friends helped him order a new set of keys and he resumed driving. Another gentleman had moved to assisted living and his vehicle was at his house with encouragement from his daughter to keep it there. He got a ride from a friend to pick up his car and brought it back to where he was living “just in case he needed it”. In both cases, they set up a comprehensive driver evaluation to have more evidence to support their case for driving retirement.
Pros: removing access to the vehicle can be a good option after there has been clear documentation that the individual should no longer drive.
What can go wrong: As noted above, people can be very creative in gaining access to their vehicle, especially if it is still registered in their name. Also, the owner of the vehicle can call the police and file a report that their child has stolen their car.
Disable the car: Unplugging the battery or otherwise disabling the car can prevent a loved one from driving.
Pros: the driver simply thinks the car is not working and this removes the awkward and difficult task of taking away keys.
What can go wrong: the driver can call AAA or a mechanic who will return the car to running condition.
Talk to their doctor: Per Colorado State Statue a medical doctor or eye doctor can file a report with the DMV which will either request that the patient undergo a driving re-exam at the DMV (written test, eye test, and 15 min drive test with a drive school) or recommend cancellation of the license.
Pros: The patient may listen to the concerns when described by a trusted physician. The doctor may require that the patient stop driving until they complete a medical fitness to drive evaluation. We recommend that this is done before any paperwork is sent to the DMV.
What can go wrong: Many doctors are not aware that they can send paperwork to the DMV. If they are not familiar with occupational therapy driver evaluation services, like Fitness to Drive, they may refuse to address driving in any way. Some doctors worry that if they take DMV action on this sensitive topic the patient will go find another doctor.
Report their loved one to the DMV directly: It is possible for an immediate family member to send a letter to the DMV stating their concerns about the driving ability of their loved one.
Pros: Filing a report to the DMV will result in a request for a driving re-exam at the DMV (written test, eye test, and 15 min drive test with a drive school). The person has 20 days to present to the DMV and if they do not their license will be cancelled.
What can go wrong: These reports to the DMV are not anonymous. The person being reported has the right to contact the DMV and receive a copy of the information that was sent in to report a problem. Also, these reports can only be completed by an immediate family member, not a neighbor or a friend.
When driving safety is in question, we recommend an objective evaluation by an occupational therapist who specializes in driving.
At Fitness to Drive we work with the family, the client, and the doctor, to make driving decisions that weigh the importance of driving with safety for all road users. Our therapists facilitate communication with the doctor and guide the process for any DMV paperwork. For more information please set up a free consultation to discuss your particular situation or submit a question via our website.
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