Can I still drive if I have dementia?

One in three people with dementia still drives. The most important thing is whether the person can still drive safely. Dementia may affect their ability to do this. Driving may feel easy and natural for people who drive often or have been driving for many years.

Do people with dementia lose their license?

If you’ve been driving for many years, driving may feel mostly automatic. However, as dementia progresses, it will change your abilities, such as your level of concentration, judgement, orientation, perception and physical ability – all important and necessary skills for driving.

How do you get someone with dementia to stop driving?

To help a person with decisions about driving:

1. Begin the conversation as soon as possible and involve the doctor.
2. Involve the person with dementia in the planning and decision-making.
3. Talk about the safety of the driver and others.
4. Appeal to the person’s sense of responsibility.

Can a doctor tell a patient not to drive?

Most states require physicians to inform the DMV when they diagnose a patient with any medical or mental condition that may affect the person’s ability to drive safely. Some common conditions that may impact a person’s ability to drive safely include: lapse of consciousness.

Do you have to notify the DMV if you have dementia?

In some states such as California, doctors are required to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) if a person has been diagnosed with dementia. In other states, there is no such requirement. Once notified, different state DMVs respond differently.

Are there any mandatory reporting States for dementia?

These six states include: Not all mandatory states direct their reporting law toward those who are afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease or, indeed, any sort of dementia whatsoever. Below are some specifics around each mandatory state and what is defined in their law.

Can a doctor report a patient to the DMV?

Other states have optional reporting laws, in which a doctor may report a patient to the DMV if they are concerned, however, they are not obligated to make a report (AMA, 2013). In some states, such as Arkansas, a physician has no obligation to report a person with dementia to the DMV.

Are there laws against driving with dementia in Delaware?

Delaware has no laws against driving with dementia specifically but obviously has laws about medical conditions which impact a person’s ability to drive safely. Doctors, law enforcement and civilians can all request a special evaluation of a driver’s ability by the DMV’s Medical Program.