A suggested management strategy
Raise the topic of driving with all patients with cognitive impairment or dementia early. Involve family members in the discussion.[1]
Advise the patient that it is their legal responsibility to report any serious, permanent or long term condition that may impair driving ability to VicRoads. A list of frequently asked questions is available on the VicRoads website.
- If safety is an immediate concern, you should consider reporting directly to VicRoads. In Victoria, health professionals who do this in good faith are protected from civil and criminal liability.[2]
- Refer to 'VicRoads Reporting and Assessment Process'.
- Inform the patient that everyone with dementia will eventually need to stop driving. See ‘Transition to Not Driving’.
- If the patient wishes to continue driving, assess their fitness to drive.
The view a diagram summarises the management pathway click here (adapted from Dementia Australia).
1. Carmody J, Traynor V, Iverson D. Dementia and driving An approach for general practice. Australian Family Physician. 2012;41:230-3.
2. Austroads Ltd. Assessing Fitness to Drive for commercial and private vehicle drivers. Sydney, Australia: Austroads Ltd; 2017.