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Many medical conditions can affect your ability to drive, and dementia is one of them. Many people do choose to, or are required to, stop driving as their dementia progresses. This is for their own safety and that of other road users and pedestrians.
You can keep driving if you have dementia as long as it is safe for you to do so.
However, by law you must declare your dementia diagnosis immediately to the DVLA (England, Scotland and Wales) or the DVA (Northern Ireland). You must also declare to your insurer.
If you fail to do these, you can face a fine of up to £100, or your insurance may even be invalid, which can lead to a minimum of 6 points on your driving licence, a fine of up to £5000 or disqualification from driving.
How dementia can affect your ability to drive
- Memory loss can make it challenging to remember the meanings of road signs and rules of the road.
- Difficulty with concentration can inhibit your ability to react quickly and make decisions on the road.
- Poor judgement can be a symptom of dementia, which on the road may make judging the distance and speed of other vehicles a problem, particularly at junctions.
- Getting confused or disorientated can result in you getting lost or not knowing how to react in certain situations.
- Difficulty with organisation and planning can make long journeys challenging, as you may struggle to plan routes and petrol stops, estimate the time your journey will take or anticipate potential problems such as rush hour or closed roads.
- Behavioural changes can include recklessness, which could be highly dangerous to you and other road users.
Declaring your condition
From the age of 70, your driving licence will need to be renewed every three years, regardless of whether you have dementia. This is to make sure that you are consistently fit to drive. However, instead of waiting until your next renewal to tell the DVLA or DVA that you have dementia, you must notify them as soon as you are diagnosed.
It is your legal responsibility to do this, but if you don’t do so and your doctor thinks you may be a danger on the road, they can alert the DVLA or DVA themselves. Your family can also declare your condition if you fail to do so.
England, Scotland and Wales
To declare your condition to the DVLA, you will need to fill in a CG1 questionnaire.
You can download the CG1 form (request one to be posted to you).
It is essential that you are honest when answering the questionnaire. When you sign it, you are signing a legal document to state that everything you have said is true to your knowledge. Intentionally lying on the form, such as if a practising alcoholic claimed that they don’t drink, could lead to prosecution. There is a section on the form to fill in your doctor’s details and the DVLA will check the information you have given with your doctor. You can ask a loved one to assist you with answering the questionnaire correctly, but it must be signed by you.
Northern Ireland
To declare your condition to the DVA, you will need to contact them by phone, email or post.
To contact them by post, you must send them both parts of your driving licence (the card and the paper version, if you have one), along with letter explaining that you have been diagnosed with dementia and what type of dementia you have. You can post this to:
Drivers Medical Section
DVA
Castlerock Road
Waterside
Coleraine
BT51 3TB
To contact them by telephone or email, you will need to inform them of the specific dementia you have. You can telephone in the hours of Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
Telephone: 0300 200 7861
Email: dva@infrastrcture-ni.gov.uk
Once you have declared your condition, the DVA will send you a questionnaire to fill in with more details.
How is it decided whether it is safe for me to drive?
When you sign the CG1 form, as well as declaring the information is true to the best of your beliefs, you are also consenting to any medical professionals you see to be consulted about your health and fitness to drive.
The DVLA or DVA may make their judgement based on your questionnaire and your doctor’s feedback, or you may also have to undertake an assessment. This is when your doctor or another medical professional conducts an examination and possibly blood tests or a questionnaire. They will then give the DVLA or DVA their recommendation on whether you are fit to drive, but ultimately the decision lies with the DVLA/DVA.
If it is unsafe for you to drive
Some people choose to voluntarily surrender their driving licence when they are diagnosed with dementia. This could be because they no longer feel safe driving or are concerned that they are making mistakes and may be a danger to others.
It is more common, understandably, to wish to continue driving for as long as possible. Many older people limit their driving for the sake of safety as they get older, such as only driving short, familiar routes and avoiding rush hour.
If the DVLA or DVA has declared that you are unfit to drive, you will need to surrender your licence. It is possible to appeal the decision, with 6 months in Britain or 3 months in Northern Ireland. Continuing to drive after you have been told not to by the DVLA or DVA is a criminal offence and if caught you could be prosecuted.
Applying for a Blue Badge
A Blue Badge enables people with disabilities or certain medical conditions to park in disabled parking spots and other accessible places. As of 2019, dementia is included as a criterion that could make you eligible for a Blue Badge. You can use this badge yourself if you are deemed still fit to drive, or you can use it when others are driving you.
More information about Blue Badges and how to apply.
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