To report this elderly driver to the DVLA?

[Omzlas]

Long time lurker - first time poster

Back story:
I have an elderly relative, let's call him Bernard. Early 80's, he has severe arthritis, osteoporosis, cataracts, fibromyalgia as well as a few other things. He takes a good cocktail of medication each day. Bernard has a car but isn't confident at all in his driving abilities these days but was a bit of a car fanatic in the past

Due to various disabilities, he can't lift his arms further than about 35 degrees (can't even get them out in front of him, zombie style), can't even drive '10 to 2' style and is unable to navigate left hand turns

Bernard regularly cuts across lanes, believing that he is in the right because 'that lane marking isn't correct, I'm in the right'. Bernard's reflexes are shot, he can't react to cars changing lanes etc

My AIBU
Would I be a complete cow to report this to the DVLA? AFAIK, Bernard has made them aware of his arthritis but nothing more, despite me telling him that he needs to. His condition isn't going to improve and he's aware of this but he's said that he won't consider stopping driving as he sees this as his last shred of independence. Bearing in mind that he's unable to do basic things like watering his plants, washing clothes or vacuuming, he gets his grandchildren to do things like this for him. I've mentioned stopping driving to him but his reply is along the lines of "I need to drive" but in the next breath says "it isn't like I drive far, I usually only go out once a week.

His driving is terrifying and if I ever go out with him, we take my car. I genuinely fear for our safety but I'm also worried that he'll end up hurting someone and/order himself.

Thanks if you've made it this far!

I removed my dgf car keys when he wouldn't stop driving. My dgm and dm were furious with me. I told them all to report me to the police or I would return them if his gp told me in person he could drive. He took me to his next appointment where the gp was astonished he was still driving and persuaded him to send his licence away. Poor bloke could barely walk, and needed help get dressed and undressed.

Report report report.

CPTart

please do report OP. I was driven into in a Tesco's car park by an elderly driver. I was stationary. I got out and the driver was very elderly and very upset and when I just asked very gently what his name was - he couldn't remember.

Please report. To the DVLA and his GP.

Report for everyone's sake.

As above I said my DM was killed. I should have mentioned another woman in her fifties was also killed too in the accident. I often think of her family. The pensioner is to be sentenced next month.

Better to report than for him to kill himself or someone else through his dangerous driving

Please report. I had to do this to my Dad. He had early onset dementia (only 65) as well as a lot of physical health issues. He used to regularly pull out in front on traffic or at roundabouts as he kept forgetting the rules about who had priority. He however refused to accept that he couldn't drive anymore.

It was hard, but you can do it anonymously. I reported it to the DVLA and his GP. It does take a few weeks to get sorted though. Is it possible his car could have a 'breakdown' (I.E, you disconnect the battery or something) whilst you wait for the DVLA to sort it?

Yes definitely report.
My nan is an appalling driver. However nothing physically stopping her driving. She’s had thorough checks due to a recent health scare and has been given the ok to drive.
Scary as there is nothing legally to stop her driving. I’m just waiting to hear she’s killed herself or someone. It’s so bloody frightening.

Dh’s car was written off on a roundabout by an elderly driver who completely ignored the give way. He was lucky he wasn’t injured or worse due to the size of his car. If he’d been driving mine, the outcome would have been much worse.

Please report. Unfit drivers kill.

I always think of Desreen Brooks, her son, & her husband, when I hear these stories.

Please, please get Bernard off the road!

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9675484/Father-saves-son-from-speeding-car-that-kills-wife.html

yes report if he only drives once a week he wont really miss it will he

as for automatially stopping when youre 70 as a pp thats silly if youre able and fit to drive u can carry on

my df and fil are both 72 and perfectly able to drive

I'm 67 btw, so I'll be in the 70+ category quite soon, & I'm all for regular retesting!

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/18/wife-killed-older-driver-law-change

It’s frankly terrifying how many people on this thread either know a dangerous elderly driver or have had someone killed or injured by one

It sounds like a huge problem - are there no mandatory medicals or anything?

I had a near death as a child as a result of an elderly person not knowing red from green. She blamed it on me.

I think in the near future I will have to do this for a family member too. It's necessary.

You can do this anonymously on the dvla website. I did it for fil, his driving had become terrifying but he had been a professional driver all his working life and could not conceive that he was dangerous. He was retested and had his licence removed, thank god. Nobody knows it was me, he thinks it was his gp.

I have also given my kids permission to tell me when I need to stop driving.

It sounds like a huge problem - are there no mandatory medicals or anything?

No, there aren't, currently - there are petitions out there asking for something but afaik nothing has been instituted yet. It's insane

Another one saying report. I had to report my dad eventually - we couldn't persuade him that his vision was too poor to be safe. He was like Bernard - only ever went a couple of miles to the nearest town - but it's full of octogenarians with similarly bad eyesight so the risk of one stepping out in front of him... The local opticians say it's a big problem, they tell people they're at the limit but then they're still driving six months later.

Lots of little scrapes on the car that he blamed on people with shopping trolleys in Tesco car park. It was a huge struggle though, he massively resented it because in his head he's not old.

Thankfully he finally agreed to get rid of the car and send back his license (but was most intrigued by the electric car from the community car club that my brother was using when he visited - "and where do they park it?" Jeez-oh, he was terrifying enough in a car you could hear coming!)

In reply to queenofthorns, no there are no mandatory medicals or eye checks, that's what Poppy-Arabella's law is campaigning to bring in, regular eye test for drivers and a legal obligation for doctors and opticians to report unsafe drivers to the dvla. This needs to happen before another child is killed.

Report.

It's like knowing someone who habitually drives drunk - no-one would think twice about reporting that.

QoT. It’s still young males, closely followed by young females, who make up the vast majority of RTAs. It’s not the pensioners causing the vast majority of accidents by a long shot.

Many older people are still fully competent.

It’s still young males, closely followed by young females, who make up the vast majority of RTAs

Yes, but they tend to kill themselves & their mates rather than innocent bystanders

To add, thankfully we're fortunate enough to have a good bus service so dad sallies forth to the co-op every day and Tesco once a week or so, and still manages remarkably well. He does sometimes forget what he went in for, but not having the car hasn't clipped his wings too badly.

In my experience nothing will happen even if you do report....police will only take action once an accident has happened!
DVLA will be very slow to do anything
It is sometimes just easier for a member of the family to quietly make the car undrivable. ...
Good luck

Report.

However I believe that it isn't always easy to prove someone has limited ability.