6
Driving and dementia
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Some people choose to have an assessment without DVLA/DVA
asking them to. A person may do this if they have a valid licence
but want some extra advice or teaching. In these cases, the
person must get in touch with the centre directly and pay for the
assessment. Prices vary but the average cost is between £70–90.
The person being assessed should go to the centre with another
person who can drive or accompany them home using alternative
transport, if necessary. This is in case the assessment finds that
the person is unsafe to drive. The person with dementia must also
bring their driving licence and any glasses they need for driving.
The assessment is not like a learners’ driving test. It is carried
out by a specialist occupational therapist and an advanced
driving instructor. They assess how much the person’s dementia
is affecting their driving and whether they can drive safely and
comfortably. The assessment is done in a supportive way and
is understanding of the bad habits that many drivers pick up,
such as not indicating or turning the steering wheel while parked
before moving off. The assessors will work with the person to help
them keep driving if this can be done safely.
The driving assessment takes about two hours and generally
includes the following steps.
1
The person with dementia answers questions about their
medical and driving history, and any driving problems they may
have. After this, they do a short written test of mental abilities.
2 Reaction time and limb strength (for steering and braking) are
tested on a special static ‘rig’. This is a car with the steering
wheel and foot pedals linked to a computer. The person’s
eyesight is also checked. By this stage, a few people will be
found to be unsafe to drive and the assessment will end here.
3
The main part of the assessment is a drive on public roads,
along a set route. This is the best test of a person’s driving
ability. This part happens in a dual-control car, which has a
brake on the passenger’s side as well as the driver’s side. Some
centres have a private road that the person drives around first.
This helps them get used to the car and allows the instructor
to check that they are safe to go on the public road. The
person drives with the advanced driving instructor in the
passenger seat and the occupational therapist in the back.
4 Back at the centre, the assessors tell the driver what they
have found. If the decision is that the person can drive safely,
they’ll be advised how to do this confidently. If the assessors
decide that the person is not safe to drive, the information and
advice they receive will be about other options. In this case,
someone else will need to drive the person home if they came
to the centre by car. If DVLA/DVA asked for the assessment,
the centre will send them a report. The licence holder can ask
the agency for a copy of this.