Talking About Driving and Dementia

Driving can be part of a person’s identity, independence and daily routine. Talking about future changes can be hard for everyone. Starting early may leave more room to listen, make choices and try other ways to get around. This page is not a driving assessment or a decision about whether a particular person is safe to drive.

The Alzheimer’s Association guide to dementia and driving, Dementia Australia’s driving advice and NHTSA guidance for caregivers recommend planning ahead and involving the person. A doctor, driving rehabilitation specialist and local licensing authority can help with individual questions.

When should I start the conversation?

Start before a driving incident forces an urgent decision, if possible. Choose a calm time when the person is not getting ready to go somewhere or returning from a stressful trip. This may be the first of several conversations, not a single announcement.

Ask what driving means to the person. It may be how they visit friends, get groceries, help family, do a job or feel independent. Acknowledging that meaning does not settle the safety question. It shows that you understand what could be lost and why planning matters.

Include the person in choices about future travel while they want to take part. They may prefer a particular person to drive, a familiar route or a certain time of day. Write down options they like and try them before a stressful day, if they agree.

How can I raise a concern without turning it into an argument?

Talk about a specific event instead of making a broad judgement. For example, describe getting lost on a familiar route, missing a stop sign or a recent scrape on the car. Say what you saw and ask what the person remembers or felt. Avoid calling them a bad driver or testing their memory with questions.

Listen to the person’s view. They may have noticed confusion, glare, fatigue or another difficulty too. Or they may disagree with your concern. Do not treat one conversation as proof that they understand or do not understand the risk. Keep the tone respectful and return to the topic later if either person is upset.

Dementia Australia suggests short, repeated conversations and focusing on the person’s strengths and on positive travel options. It also warns that secretly hiding keys or disabling a car can feel hostile during early planning. If there is a serious immediate safety concern, take steps to avoid the next risky trip and seek prompt professional guidance.

What information can help a professional discussion?

Write down concrete events and when they happened. Examples might include getting confused at an intersection, losing the route to a familiar place, not noticing signs or new damage to the car. Include what the person said about the trip and any health or medication changes they want to discuss.

Keep notes factual and private. Do not secretly record, follow or test the person. If the person agrees, a family member who has been in the car can share what they observed. A clear description gives the doctor or specialist something specific to discuss; it does not diagnose the cause or determine driving fitness.

Warning signs in the Alzheimer’s Association guidance are reasons to seek professional advice. They do not replace an individual assessment. Ask the person’s doctor about a referral to an occupational therapist or another qualified driving rehabilitation specialist. Check local licensing rules with the state or regional licensing authority.

How can we make a travel plan together?

Start with the trips the person wants to keep: seeing friends, shopping, appointments, worship or familiar activities. For each one, discuss who might drive, which transport options feel acceptable and what support would make the trip work.

Options can include rides from family or friends, taxis or ride-share services, public transport, community transportation or delivery for some errands. Services, cost and accessibility vary by location. Check what is available locally instead of assuming one option will work for everyone.

Try a route or service together before it becomes the only option. Ask if the person wants a companion or prefers to travel independently. Our travel-planning guide has ideas for keeping trips familiar and leaving room to change plans.

What if I think the next trip could be unsafe?

Take the concern seriously and arrange another way to travel while you seek prompt advice. If the person suddenly becomes confused, the NHS advises immediate medical help; use local emergency services. A sudden change in how someone is acting should not be treated as a routine driving disagreement.

For other serious concerns, contact the person’s doctor and local licensing authority for steps that apply where they live. Do not rely on a family promise or this page to decide the legal requirements. If possible, explain the immediate plan to the person and keep them involved in what happens next.

How can I support the person if driving ends?

Stopping driving can feel like a real loss. Acknowledge that plainly. Continue to invite the person to the places and activities that matter to them. Offer choices about rides, timing and companions rather than treating travel as a task to manage for them.

Share driving duties with relatives or friends if the person agrees. Ask community agencies about transportation for older adults or people with disabilities. Check the cost, schedule, pickup rules and whether a companion is allowed. Small details can decide whether an option feels useful.

The caregiver self-care guide covers asking others to share support. The person should have as much say as possible in how they stay connected to everyday life.

The aim is to protect safety while respecting what driving means to the person. Begin the conversation early, listen, get qualified advice and build a travel plan together.