people driving with Dementia

Andy From Sligo · 12-11-2018 4:51pm #1

88 year old man went missing last night in Sligo family worried as he suffers from Dementia , was last seen driving a ford fiesta at around 7pm.

Been found today thankfully and us getting the necessary treatment... But I have got to ask it... Why are we letting people drive on the roads with dementia?

Unless he doesn't drive and just saw the keys lying there on the table there and just picked them up , but it's doubtful isn't it?

facehugger99 · 12-11-2018 4:53pm

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Why are we letting people drive on the roads with dementia?

Well, we all had a chat when you popped out for a piss that time and agreed it would be a good idea.

gigantic09 · 12-11-2018 4:54pm

Have to admit It's been I while since I met a checkpoint where the cops were pulling for dementia.

rgodard80a · 12-11-2018 4:56pm

Family probably don't have power of attorney to do it, or if they do force the issue and take his car away they don't want to be on the hook for looking after him.

Andy From Sligo · 12-11-2018 5:08pm

I remember FIL years ago having to go to GP to renew his drivers licence and us thinking he wouldnt pass it and slipping something like 50quid to the GP and passed his medical for a licence - but that was years ago .. didnt think it still went on these days

Riskymove · 12-11-2018 5:09pm

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Why are we letting people drive on the roads with dementia?

we generally don't

They can only continue to drive if signed off by GP

If diagnosed they must inform Insurance Company and NDSL

Andy From Sligo · 12-11-2018 5:11pm

frightening driving these days and sharing the road with god knows who and what they have - never mind about tough new rules for Drink Driving , i even heard of someone being registered blind having a driving licence :eek: ...

Andy From Sligo · 12-11-2018 5:12pm

what age is it again that you have to get signed by GP?

Kristopherus · 12-11-2018 5:14pm

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

what age is it again that you have to get signed by GP?

70 afaik.

jimgoose · 12-11-2018 5:15pm

Riskymove wrote: »

we generally don't

They can only continue to drive if signed off by GP

If diagnosed they must inform Insurance Company and NDSL

In furtherance, if such a person is involved in an accident and it subsequently emerges that they had dementia, their insurance will be voided regardless of whether the company had been informed or not.

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

what age is it again that you have to get signed by GP?

70.

Roger Hassenforder · 12-11-2018 5:15pm

Its the lads with 40 or 50 driving convictions in front of a judge, with their lawyer arguing he's (the defendant) turned his life around.

Mr. Incognito · 12-11-2018 5:23pm

Judging by the driving habits of most Irish people where they forget how to use a lane or an indicator I think he's not the only one.

Andy From Sligo · 12-11-2018 5:25pm

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

Its the lads with 40 or 50 driving convictions in front of a judge, with their lawyer arguing he's (the defendant) turned his life around.

indeed - how did they even manage to clock up that amount in the first place . - needs more zero tollerance or 3 strikes and out of something like that

uch · 12-11-2018 5:29pm

My Missus was involved in a 4 car smash caused by a woman with Dementia, the family knew she was driving but thought she was OK to do so, She was driving a big old Mecredes and ploughed into the back of a car behind the wifes and pushed it into her, and in turn she was pushed into the car in front, the lady then reversed with Airbags blown and drove off. Nearly 4 years later and the missus has been retired from PS job as she's unable to do the work anymore due to ongoing injuries.

begbysback · 12-11-2018 5:33pm

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

Its the lads with 40 or 50 driving convictions in front of a judge, with their lawyer arguing he's (the defendant) turned his life around.

Swear your honor, completely forgot I was banned.

McMurphy · 12-11-2018 5:35pm

Wasn't there a case a.while back that an elderly woman had to call her elderly husband extremely worried for his safety after seeing a news bulletin.

"Jimmy, she said if you're on that M50 be very careful, I just seen on the news there, that a maniac is apparently going full steam the wrong way, they're hurtling south on the north bound carriageway "....

"One maniac?" Replied Jimmy.... "THERES FCUKIN HUNDREDS OF THEM AT IT "!

DEFTLEFTHAND · 12-11-2018 5:37pm

If anything it's up to the family of the dementia sufferer to keep the car keys away from them. They have to be watched like hawks.

Andy From Sligo · 12-11-2018 5:40pm

begbysback wrote: »

Swear your honor, completely forgot I was banned.

yeah well dont tell me these judges fall for these lines without knowingly thinking its a lie - some of these doddery ol judges need to be replaced as well and start giving out maximim penalties and not letting repeat offenders off.

- if they ban someone and continue to drive lock them up! . Judges dont realise if they let someone off with a slap on the wrist and the person hasnt learnt their lesson that if they go out and main/injure/kill someone then I sometimes think not only is the driver is at fault but if they have previous convictions and got off the judge who let them off is just as much to blame and has blood on their hands ...

suicide_circus · 12-11-2018 5:41pm

I know someone on morphine who drives a hefty commute to work while they are pretty much strung out.

Andy From Sligo · 12-11-2018 5:42pm

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

If anything it's up to the family of the dementia sufferer to keep the car keys away from them. They have to be watched like hawks.

I suppose with this particular case we may never know if he picked up the keys or still classed as medically able to drive so was driving 'legally' - all we will get is "he is found and is being treated" - and thats that.

Riskymove · 12-11-2018 5:51pm

jimgoose wrote: »

In furtherance, if such a person is involved in an accident and it subsequently emerges that they had dementia, their insurance will be voided regardless of whether the company had been informed or not.

if it emerged that they had been diagnosed
and signed of the road then that might be the case

Andy From Sligo · 12-11-2018 5:53pm

when my OH goes out driving I say "take care driving" - trouble is what I really mean is "take care driving - there are a lot of idiots out there" you could be a safe as anything driver but its the other morons you got to watch out on the roads - they are the ones that could change someones life completely or cause worse!

On top of the idiots , include Drink driving, dug driving, people not adjusting their speed to weather conditions, people generally speeding, people on prescribed medication , people from other countries who used to drive on the other side of the road, teenagers and young adults acting the maggot to impress their other mates/girlfriends/boyfriends, people thinking about something else instead of concentrating on driving, people fiddling with Sat-Nav / car radio / mobile phone /car gadgets, eating whilst driving, smoking whilst driving, delayed reaction whilst driving and anything else I have missed out...

touts · 12-11-2018 5:55pm

Got rear ended by a man with early stage dementia at a roundabout a few years ago. He got confused with the lanes etc and went straight into me. It was slow enough and I had a hitch so I had no damage but he had quite a bit to his car. He told me he had early stage dementia and begged me not to call the guards as they would call his family and I took sympathy on him but I actually really agonised afterwards if I had made the right decision. He was clearly not safe on the road and another accident was only a matter of time. I really should have reported him but if I did that was the end of any mobility and much of the freedom he had left. But what if next time he became confused it was with a child crossing the road.

Gatling · 12-11-2018 6:45pm

There was another case at tallaght hospital too , another elderly gent walked out of his ward and drove off , nobody tried to prevent him having access to a vehicle ,

Shouldn't be allowed under any circumstances

Andy From Sligo · 12-11-2018 6:49pm

touts wrote: »

Got rear ended by a man with early stage dementia at a roundabout a few years ago. He got confused with the lanes etc and went straight into me. It was slow enough and I had a hitch so I had no damage but he had quite a bit to his car. He told me he had early stage dementia and begged me not to call the guards as they would call his family and I took sympathy on him but I actually really agonised afterwards if I had made the right decision. He was clearly not safe on the road and another accident was only a matter of time. I really should have reported him but if I did that was the end of any mobility and much of the freedom he had left. But what if next time he became confused it was with a child crossing the road.

exactly - its a very tough one to decide on , of course compassion kicks in and you didnt want to ruin his life or take his independence away, it might have been the only outing he got .. but yes as you say who could have been the next victim and how bad could his dementia get before he realised himself it was time to quit and that he was/is a danger to other road users / general public

harr · 12-11-2018 6:57pm

Elderly neighbor near me driving a big 4x4 ...he is in his 80,s and does be strung out on meds including morphine . Kind of a thick bollocks and won’t listen to his wife or son who want him off the road.
His GP has no problem signing his fit to drive cert, he just drops the cert into GP,s secretary and collects it.
The jeep has many a dent and it’s only a year old..pulled over last week again at 8 pm because he forgot to turn on his lights.
The local Sargent I think has had enough of him at this stage ...

freshpopcorn · 12-11-2018 8:20pm

I know somebody who witnessed the lead up to a fatal crash a few years ago.
They ended up in court as a witness.
The lady driving had dementia.
The doctor had her taken off the road.
Her family said they took the keys off her but she accdiently ended up with a spare key. The story didn't really ring through because she was involved in another crash that they knew about.

rgodard80a · 12-11-2018 10:09pm

I know a taxi driver who has had a couple of minor strokes in the last few years.
Doubt that was declared on their motor insurance policy unless they were able to get a doctor to sign off on it.

In fairness, not dementia, but when my mother started driving I knew she'd be terrible. Not much you can do about it.
Luckily she only caused material damage when she did crash, and crashed into a stationary vehicle on the other side of the road - raining and she probably panicked/lost control. Thankfully she didn't go back on the road.

AndrewJRenko · 12-11-2018 10:54pm

harr wrote: »

His GP has no problem signing his fit to drive cert, he just drops the cert into GP,s secretary and collects it.

I wonder if GPs have a professional liability, if a driver that they signed off on goes on to kill or maim someone?

Andy From Sligo · 12-11-2018 11:01pm

harr wrote: »

Elderly neighbor near me driving a big 4x4 ...he is in his 80,s and does be strung out on meds including morphine . Kind of a thick bollocks and won’t listen to his wife or son who want him off the road.
His GP has no problem signing his fit to drive cert, he just drops the cert into GP,s secretary and collects it.
The jeep has many a dent and it’s only a year old..pulled over last week again at 8 pm because he forgot to turn on his lights.
The local Sargent I think has had enough of him at this stage ...

makes you wonder if he would even listen to a Gard / sergeant as well or would he just carry on driving if he is that kind of buck - I'd say he wouldnt go quietly if he was to be taken off the road with whoever tried to stop him driving

Spanish Eyes · 12-11-2018 11:08pm

Enforcement is the key.

But it doesn't happen much.

people driving with Dementia

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