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Dementia makes it hard to think clearly and react quickly. To drive safely, you need to be able to do both of these things. If you have Alzheimer's disease or dementia, there will come a time when it's not safe for you to drive anymore. This can be hard news to take, but giving up driving is the best way to make sure that you don't hurt yourself or someone else on the road.
Did you know?
- Older adults are four times more likely than young people to be seriously hurt in a car accident.
- Drivers with brain or memory problems are more likely to cause an accident than a driver who has a blood alcohol level above the legal limit.
- If you are driving and your doctor doesn't think it is safe to do so, he or she has to report you to the Ministry of Transportation. It's the law.
If you decide that you shouldn't drive anymore because of your memory, tell your family doctor. He or she will fill out a form to send to the Ministry of Transportation explaining that you are no longer driving because of your memory problems. After this, your license will be cancelled.
If you want to keep driving, but your doctor thinks you shouldn't, then you will have to take a driving test to prove that you can still drive safely. Your doctor will fill out a form to send to the Ministry of Transportation that says he or she is concerned about your driving, and then you will have a chance to take a driving test. If you do not take the driving test, or if you fail, your driver's license will be cancelled. For information about driving tests and renewing your driver's license, visit our Driving Tests and License Renewal page.
You can still get around town even if you don't have a driver's license. Ask a family member or friend for a ride, or use a local ride program. There is a list of ride programs on our Transportation page.