driving
They should not be driving. How do I handle it?
4 min read
A dementia diagnosis does not automatically end driving, but it must be declared to the licensing authority and the insurer, and fitness to drive has to be assessed. Handle it as a medical and legal process rather than a family argument — that takes the decision off you.
What to try
- 1Check what the law requires where you live. Rules on driving after a dementia diagnosis differ by country, and this is not one to guess at — in Great Britain you must tell the DVLA, and you can be fined up to £1,000 for not doing so.
- 2Ask the GP to raise it. Coming from a clinician rather than a relative removes the personal confrontation.
- 3Request a formal driving assessment if it is disputed — an independent verdict is easier to accept.
- 4Plan the alternatives before removing the car: taxi accounts, lifts, bus passes, delivery.
What to avoid
- Arguing about competence in the abstract. It becomes about respect rather than safety.
- Simply taking the keys with no explanation, which usually causes a serious rupture.
- Letting it drift because the conversation is hard. Driving risk is one of the few genuinely urgent safety issues.
What it actually costs them
Losing the car is often experienced as the loss of adulthood itself. Expect grief and anger, and plan for how they will still get out. The transport problem is the real problem; the keys are only the visible part.
How this guide was made
Written by
Written independently for Riparo. It is not copied or adapted from any organisation’s material.
Evidence checked
Some key points have been checked against published national dementia guidance; others have not been.
Reviewed by
Not clinically reviewed. No clinician has checked this guide.