Tru here.  My Dementia Mentors video regarding Driving with Dementia was posted at dementiamentors.com/videos section on Sunday August 24, 2014.  Some people have difficulty viewing Vimeo sources, so it is also posted at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlXo8cvBpEc .   (I still have not learned this application very well so if that link does not work then go to “truthfulkindness” channel on youtube.)  Transcript of video is below: I am not going to suggest someone else is wrong in their course of action.  I am just going to tell you why I PERSONALLY quit driving. Driving represents the independence of an adult; it is always a big deal. But dementia is the permanent loss of multiple intellectual functions.  This influences my driving in that I have difficulty remembering where I am going, and how to get there.  The memory problems may cause further distraction to what is already possibly a longer reaction time due to confusion “fog”. The two biggest factors in my decision were: 1) Financial consequences if an accident occurs (regardless of cause):  I understand many jury members believe that it is gross negligence for a person with dementia to drive an automobile.  With dementia diagnosis, my family could well be sued and held financially responsible.  Thus consequences of potential legal liability must be a serious factor in decision of when to quit driving.

As Charles Warner, a retired lawyer wrote at http://www.alzheimersblog.org/2014/04/30/driving-dementia/; “Fault”, … depends on a number of factors.  One of the steps often taken in auto accident litigation is to obtain medical records of the injured party.  If there was any reason to believe any person involved in the accident was impaired in any way (such as with dementia) the medical records of that party may be obtained by legal processes.  If you have been driving with a diagnosis of any type of dementia, you run a significant risk that fault for the accident may be assessed, in full or in part, against you.  If you are driving and have not advised your insurance carrier of your dementia, there is reason to believe that they may not extend coverage to you under your own policy.

2)  Emotional consequences if an accident occurs (regardless of cause):  If I was in an accident and a person (especially a child) was hurt, could I ever forgive myself for the “what if”?  What IF my reaction time was an element?  What IF I was distracted by confusion? Even independence is not worth that “what if” for the rest of my life.  So I did not renew my driver’s license.

Friend Robert Bowles also wrote about his driving decisions at http://lbdlivingbeyonddiagnosis.com/2/post/2015/08/driving-a-vehicle-involves-more-than-memory.html

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