Senior Guide for Safe Driving (PDF) - California Department of Motor ...

Unlike senior drivers with motor function or vision
impairments who tend to self-restrict their driving, senior
drivers with dementia continue driving even when it is
unsafe for them to drive. It is often up to family members
and caregivers to stop these seniors from driving and
arrange alternative transportation for them.
Some Causes of Cognitive Impairments
Some of the causes of an individual’s cognitive impairment
are:
• Dementia (Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia)
• Seizure disorder (lapse of consciousness condition)
• Sleep disorders (narcolepsy, sleep apnea, lapse of
consciousness condition)
• Brain tumor
• Parkinson’s disease
• Stroke
• Vertigo
The important thing to remember about cognitive
impairments is that many of them are progressive. Early
diagnosis and treatment are vital to ensure an individual
will be able to drive safely for as long as the condition
remains mild. Once the condition reaches the moderate or
severe stages, it is too dangerous for the person to continue
driving.
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