" My parent(s) should not be driving !!!     What can I do? " Here is a copy of a recent letter we received and our reply about older adults driving privileges. The names have been removed to protect their privacy.
	" My mother had a stroke in 12/00 and the state of Florida required her to surrender her driver's license until she recovered. Now she wants to get it back. I am concerned that she is unsafe to drive due to left side neglect affecting her peripheral vision, delayed reaction time, and also neuropathy in her left hand. I think she still might be able to pass the exam though, and her doctor will not intervene. Is there anywhere she could try driving on a simulator rather than getting a learner's permit and actually practicing in a car. She is coming soon to stay with me for a month. Thank you. "  Our Reply: Dear (Name Removed), We suggest a driving school, such as the one Sears offers. The instructor can look for, and document signs that she may no longer be able to drive. One of the most important requirements for driving is depth perception. That requires 2 eyes, or a lot of practice with one eye. You may discuss with the instructor ahead of time, the concerns that you have. Getting a license medically revoked: Step one is to again try to convince her that she should not attempt to regain her license. This would be the best method to help preserve your relationship with her. You both will feel better over this issue if it can be handled in this way. If this still does not work, you really need to convince a doctor that she should not be driving. This will hold the most credibility with the Florida DMV. This will also start the process of a DMV Medical Review. A letter must be written by a doctor, on their letterhead, that it is recommended that driving privileges be revoked or not re-established. This letter should include the person's name, Date of Birth, Social Security #, Address, and a Medical or Psychiatric reason why this person should not drive. In North Carolina, the contact at the NC DMV is Janice Mills. (919) 715-7147      (919) 733-9569 fax You may want to call her, or her current representative, explain your situation. She might be able to help you with DMV contacts in Florida. This letter should be sent to the DMV. They will then contact the person, and require them to come in for a medical review within 5 business days. If they fail to report to a local office in 5 days, the license in automatically revoked. I know your mom still does not have her license, so it can't be revoked, but the procedure should be similar. Another method that you might explore is getting her insurance company involved. Just give any agent a call at her company, and explain the situation. If you still cannot keep her from getting her license, you might suggest a limited license. This would be for day, local driving only. This way she could plan trips just to the local grocery store, etc. I had an uncle who kept his license, much longer than he should have. After his wife died, he disappeared for days. His car was found several days later. Near his car, they found his body. We guess that he was looking for his wife, as this was a location they used to frequent in their younger days. He probably got lost, while searching. Deborah, as you can see this is a very serious issue.    Thank you for caring enough about your mom to research this. Please let us know if we can be of any further help to you. Marea Pinto (Medical Social Worker) www.parentingparents.com Note: (Remember this is a free advice service, provided by the supporters of our WebSite.  If you get a few spare minutes, click on some of their logos on our home page, get their phone number, ask for the director of marketing and thank them for supporting ParentingParents.com)