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My father is 85 and his doctor said he shouldn't drive until he sees him again in a month. He still has his drivers license. He was recently treated for vertigo. He has been unsteady on his feet for years & has cataracts. He only drives 3 miles to see my mother in the nursing home daily & buy groceries. My brother came back from Florida & pushed the issue of dad's driving with the doctor. Now brother is returning to Florida & I'm stuck driving dad around. I think dad is driving anyway. My question is since he still has a valid drivers licence what happens if he's pulled over or has an accident?

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If you have concerns about your father's driving, then you need to tell his doctor directly without him around either in person or by mail. The doctor needs to evaluate him again soon and it sounds like it may well be time for the doctor to write your state's department of motor vehicles to resend his driving.

As long as he has a valid licence, he should be ok in that regards as far as being pulled over or being in an accident. If it is a bad accident, the victims might want to question how healthy he is to be driving and did that contribute to the accident. My opinion.
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You should express concerns and your observations to doctor. You can write or notify the dmv to suspend license however I did so twice in VA and they renewed 90 yr olds lisence with no testing etc! Ridiculous. They should at least require all elders to take driving test with dmv annually once they are 80 plus in my book. So many things can change in a year.

Yes, dad is limiting his driving distance but what if he hits a child or hurts someone and they find he had vertigo or other? Yes he’s insured but someone could sue and take everything. Maybe explaining that to ur dad will make him think twice.

Didn’t work with my mom and believe likely the case with most elders giving up driving—they won’t unless forced by their doctors orders and loss of lisence thru dmv.

Hardship on you but there are neighbors who would likely take dad to store with them on occasion or u could help dad order groceries delivered, meals on wheels, Uber to and from moms residential care facility.

Good luck. Think about dads estate at risk if he hurts or kills someone at the wheel.
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Rather than worry about what will happen legally, think hard about what would happen if he has a dizzy spell within those 3 miles and runs into a kid on a bike, killing the child. What would that do to the rest of Dad's life, or yours?

This is a safety issue that involves the safety of others, as well as your Dad.
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well jeannegibbs of course i'm worried about the safety issue .My question is if a doctor said you shouldn't drive then that doctor should inform the dmv & pull that persons licence.
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Saying she shouldn't drive by the doc did not work with DW. I had to steal her keys and hide them. More than a year later, after I was appointed her guardian, we went to DMV and surrendered her license and got her an Id and a handicap placard.
Then I took her off of the insurance and the rates went up, but she is still listed as a non driver.
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Louise210, well that is what happened with my husband. The doctor starting the ball rolling to revoke the license. But it sounds like in your case this advice is temporary. "Don't drive until I see you again." So I can understand not starting the permanent process of revoking the license. Perhaps when the doctor sees him again the doctor will realize that this is not a temporary condition and Dad needs to be prevented from driving.

If there is an accident and a lawsuit while your dad is driving, I don't think it will be in his favor that he was driving against his doctor's orders.

Could you find a rehab place that tests handicapped drivers? My husband passed such a test after a head injury and could continue to drive. Ten years later when he was diagnosed with dementia he asked the doctor if she would change her mind if he could pass the test again and she agreed she'd write to the DMV if that happened. Husband never went for that test, realizing he couldn't pass it.

Also, would you consider writing a note to the doctor and asking that if he still does not feel driving is safe at the next appointment, would he please notify the DMV?

If your father is not a safe driver, you need every tool at your disposal to prevent him from driving.
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