According to the Clinician’s Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers, 3rd Edition, “A significant number of drivers with dementia are found to be competent to drive in the early stages of their illness.” People diagnosed with dementia should always be encouraged to plan for eventual cessation of driving should changes in memory, attention, judgement and visuospatial abilities.
Common warning signs for drivers with dementia include:
- Forgetting where you are going or needing more help than usual with directions
- Getting lost in familiar areas
- Hitting Curbs
- Dents and scrapes on your car
- Driving inappropriate speeds (usually slower than traffic)
- Getting honked at frequently
- Driving out of your lane
- Confusing gas/brake
- Others questioning your ability to drive safely
If you experience any of these warning signs you should follow up immediately with your physician and it may be appropriate to request an evaluation from a driving rehab specialist.
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