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Many come to this site to ask about dementia - how to recognize it, how to help your loved one who is getting worse, etc. Too many think that dementia is only loss of memory. Unfortunately, that is only the tip of the iceberg. If you're dealing with dementia, either in yourself or a loved one, you need to understand loss of executive function. Today I'm posting how loss of executive function affects driving.
Executive function resides in the brain's command center for planning, decision-making, and impulse control. Driving errors arise from poor judgment, rigid thinking, and failure to handle complex, rapidly changing environments. Loss of executive function may be an early warning sign of cognitive decline or other neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia in its many forms, including Alzheimers disease..
Key driving errors; decision-making and judgment failures; can't decide on the spur of the moment what to do in a traffic situation.
Difficulty with left turns; unable to judge speed and distance of oncoming traffic when turning left across lanes.
Ignoring traffic signs; missing or Ignoring stop signs, red lights, or yield signs.
Erratic speed; driving significantly under or over the speed limit, or sudden and inappropriate acceleration and braking.
Poor decision-making under pressure; becoming easily confused and hesitant, or making dangerous decisions when faced with unexpected traffic situations.
Getting lost in familiar areas; disoriented or unable to find their way home in familiar environments.
Difficulty navigating junctions; trouble traversing intersections, lane changes, or merging onto highways.
Impaired spatial judgment; hitting curbs, failing to maintain proper lane positioning, or misjudging space between their vehicle and other objects.
Confusing pedals; misstepping on gas and brake pedals.
Risky driving; increased impulsivity, leading to speeding, aggressive driving, texting while driving, and ignoring seatbelt use.
Mental rigidity; inability to adapt to detours, construction, or unexpected traffic changes.
Neglecting safety measures; forgetting to check blind spots or not using mirrors properly.
Avoidance behavior; consciously limiting driving to familiar, simple routes, avoiding driving at night or in heavy traffic.
Unexplained vehicle damage; new dents, scrapes, or scratches that the driver can't explain or makes up unlikely stories to justify.
Multiple near misses; frequent near misses or other drivers honking or reacting with anger.
If these behaviors are noted, it's best to seek a formal driving assessment from a qualified traffic safely expert, because those with executive function loss often lack insight into their own impairments and try to hide them.
I am contributing this in memory of my wonderful brother-in-law, who was killed at age 49 by a cognitively impaired driver who was also DUI.

Thanks for this. I’ll be passing it along. Currently my in-laws both have some degree of dementia, MIL worse than FIL. BIL is in charge, POA and jerk in charge. He fully admits the dementia is advancing, says “one day” he dread he will have to stop them from driving, but he’s sure they’re 2-4 years from not living independently. They currently eat meals on repeat as they can’t remember eating. Buy huge amounts of groceries as they can’t remember what they have. They go to doctor appointments and have no clue what happened or anything that was said. Hubby has zero control and stays frustrated. Sometimes I’m just grateful we’re hundreds of miles away….
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Ty for this!

I've not been driving for over 3 years now after the side effects I've suffered from immunotherapy, the dizziness specifically. Even though I do not feel dizzy while sitting down, I feel concerned about driving and maybe not having the reflexes necessary and God forbid killing someone.

Chuck and I went driving with me at the wheel about 9 months ago and I wasn't comfortable. I tried again last week and I feel fine, totally in control. But, I will only drive locally and occasionally. This is self imposed due to my own common sense, which seems seriously lacking these days.
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When I was on a campaign to stop my Mom from driving, her PCP ordered a virtual driving assessment through the clinic's OT department. Best thing ever because she had to take the 30-question MoCA (for executive function) and then a physical "reaction" test where she stood in front of a panel with lighted dots (off) and then they'd randomly turn lights on and she'd have to touch them with her hand as quickly as possible. She failed both tests with flying colors. Then it was the OT (and not me) who informed her that the test results would go to her PCP who is a mandated reporter to the Dept of Public Safety which would then cancel her license immediately. They sent the cancellation letter and my Mom intercepted it before I could snatch it from her mailbox. She also hid her car title and 1 set of keys and I've not found the title to this day. She forgot where she hid the keys and eventually came upon them purely by accident way under her kitchen sink where she chucked them.

My Uncle killed his own wife (and their dog) in a t-bone car wreck because none of their kids had the huevos to force him to stop driving. He clearly had dementia.

People need to know that in large clinics they may have a virtual driving assessment option, so they should check.
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It seems to me that taking away keys and cars should be the most non-negotiable thing for people with cognitive decline, but yes, as funkygrandma says, there is an astounding lack of sense about it. Thanks for sharing, Fawnby.
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Thanks for sharing Fawnby. Nothing gets my blood boiling more than when someone in my life or on this forum shares that they're allowing their loved one with dementia to continue to drive, because they're afraid to make them mad or don't want to take away their "independence."
I mean...WTF??? What about all the innocent people on the roadways like your wonderful brother-in-law who might still be alive today if some fool wouldn't have let their loved one drive impaired.
I can't help but wonder how many more innocent people have to be killed or injured before something drastic is done to stop the nonsense.
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