Older drivers are among the safest on our roads.
As we age, information processing can slow and eyesight can decline. Many drivers adapt by avoiding night driving, rush hour, and complex or unfamiliar routes.
For most people, these changes do not significantly affect safety until later life (often after 85). The greater risk is to older drivers and passengers themselves, as increasing frailty makes serious injury more likely in any collision.
Age also increases the risk of cognitive medical conditions that can affect safety, and family members are often the first to notice these changes. At present, these families have little access to suitable assistance at this stage.
Cognitive impairment plays a significant part in reducing driving skills. Concerns from family members usually go hand in hand with a decrease in cognitive abilities such as short term memory.
Do you have concerns about a driver with possible cognitive impairment?
You may find that it is difficult to get the support you need.
This is because it is treated as a medical situation rather than a road safety issue by many.
We believe this needs to change!
We are here to help
Drawing on many years of experience in guiding hundreds of drivers, family members and medical
professionals, who find themselves involved in this complex situation, we can help you with the following:
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All the information you need to take the most appropriate next steps
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Guidance on legal responsibilities
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Guidance on road risk and safety considerations
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Help with the necessary conversations to guide a loved one who wants to continue driving
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Advice about your specific situation, tailored to the needs of the driver and family
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Support to medical professionals in fitness to drive considerations
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Advice on arranging a driving assessment
Explore this website for more information, using the links in the menu or below.
Driving and Dementia
Navigating the Road to Driving Retirement
More information:
A diagnosis of dementia raises many practical questions—often, whether it is still safe to drive.
Your doctor can offer initial advice, but an independent driving assessment provides a clearer, evidence-based view of driving safety.
Driving Mobility provides assessments at centres across the UK, supported by Driving Assessors and Occupational Therapists. For many people with dementia, travelling to a centre and using an unfamiliar vehicle can be difficult.
As a result, too few drivers receive a formal assessment and many families are left without clear guidance.
DriveTalk Consultancy
We are working to make assessments more accessible by exploring options in the driver’s local area, using their own familiar vehicle.
Our approach is informed by a long-running Hampshire scheme that supported drivers with dementia and their families for over 20 years, helping to:
· Meet legal driving requirements.
· Review driving risk as dementia progresses.
DriveTalk Consultancy aims to help develop similar initiatives so drivers with dementia can receive timely, compassionate guidance—supporting safety, confidence and independence.