Driving and the elderly - how to take away the keys without damaging your relationship

Operating a motor vehicle requires quick reaction time and good judgment. Many elderly individuals will eventually become unable to drive as they lose the requisite ability to operate an automobile safely. With the support of family and professional caregivers, many people voluntarily stop driving. Others continue to drive, fearing that giving up their car means losing the independence that having a car provides.

If an elderly person who exhibits poor driving skills insists on driving, caregivers, friends and family members may need to take additional steps, including:

• Controling access to automobile keys
• Keeping the automobile out of sight
• Requesting a “do not drive” prescription from a doctor
• Disabling the car by removing the distributor cap or the battery
• Getting a driving evaluation from a certified professional. There are hospitals and driving schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that perform driving evaluations. Locally, the Weldon Center for Rehabilitation, Driving Advisement Program, located at 233 Carew Street, Springfield, Massachusetts 01104, 413.748.6800 can be of assistance.

Driving an automobile can be a significant part of our self-image, and losing our freedom to drive can be one of the most difficult decisions to accept. Caregivers, friends and family members should avoid arguments about driving and not allow themselves to become the focus of the elderly person’s anger and frustration. It may be beneficial to blame the doctor or the police.

If the above strategies do not produce the intended results, and the elderly person continues to drive in an unsafe manner, anyone caring for or interacting with him/her, including the police, can notify the state department of motor vehicles (DMV) and the DMV can require a competency examination and corresponding road test.


by: Todd C. Ratner, Esq.