This is an information brochure for people with dementia, their families and friends or carers. It describes the adverse effects on safe driving resulting from dementia, and ways to help the driver who has dementia. Why driving affects dementia Many drivers each day travel along the same routes which they know well. Driving requires highly complex interaction between eyes, brain and muscles and the ability to cope with unexpected problems quickly.
Some drivers lose the ability to drive safely because they suffer from dementia.
Dementia is a disease of the brain which produces a progressive and irreversible loss of memory functioning. It causes the loss of memory, small concentration span and sight problems. This of course badly affects their ability to drive safely when their good judgement and driving skills begin to fail. Some drivers may recognise early the effects of dementia on their driving and decide to drive less or not to drive at all. Other drivers may not recognise the effects of dementia on their driving or they may even choose to ignore them and the driving problems they cause.