To report this to police?

[suspended]

My grandad is refusing to give up his licence. He is 86, and has become more and more disabled over the years.

Last year he spent a month in hospital after fracturing his hip- he now has one leg shorter than the other and walks with two sticks. He limps and can only walk around 2m unaided. We suspect although have no proof that he could not do an emergency stop.

He has glaucoma and reduced eyesight. He regularly goes to get his eyes depressurised and then drives back even though his sight is impaired after the procedure. He will not accept a lift.

Last Wednesday he had a fall and broke his arm. We just called him and he was not in. Then called my nana and they were 'driving'. She said she was changing gears for him.

I am honestly at my wits end with them. They could kill someone. What can we do? My dad has called their GP to discuss it but they can not do anything with out my grandads permission. The police were unhelpful as he passed his driving test review a few years back.

My grandparents could have help from myself, my brother or my father but won't accept it. They have also been completely flouting the covid 19 rules and have been out every day shopping, visiting friends and generally pissing all of us off with their lack of care for others.

I had a thought though, would it work if I reported them for dangerous driving?

Hi OP I dug out this thread which might help.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3844581-DM-still-driving-at-80-but-how-do-I-tell-her-she-is-no-longer-safe

Different dynamics from what you’re facing but I thought it helpful to show you’re not alone in having this issue.

Definitely call your local police station, they will be able to do checks for proof. It's a matter of time before they kill/hurt someone.

Yes I do think this must be a very common situation, persuading an elderly person to give up driving.

R.e having a frank conversation that has happened many many times before. They nod and agree then ignore.

The same thing has happened through corona. They've been out everyday for non essential items.

Mind you they have a big group of friends who are all also being stupid with their precautions.

Hi OP,

This is unbelievable isn’t it. I know many elderly people value their independence but doing these things is risking their lives and that of other road users.
I think as an immediate act you and your family should stage an intervention! Physically take the car keys away from them, deflate the tyres if you have to. I know I would in your situation. It might sound harsh but if they won’t listen to reason what else can you do?
Also report to the DVLA.
Good luck OP, I hope this can all be resolved without too much difficulty.

I sent dvla an email with photos of ex driving in huge medical support boots.
He continued to drive.
Took his loss of sight in 1 eye to get him off the road..

Definitely report him to DVLA. No question. They sound like the sort who would carry on driving until they actually kill someone, and it's too late by then.

It's speeding younger men than your GF we have to really worry about and it is awful when someone has to give up driving. We live in a rural area, with limited public transport and taxis, and so the loss of independence can be acute. I have so much sympathy for those in this situation. However, having experienced an elderly lady mount the pavement in her car when trying to park, narrowly missing pedestrians and hitting our car with DCs in it as she bounced off the pavement back onto the road, I would report your GF in your circumstances. Another very elderly lady local to us mounted the pavement in her car and crashed through a wall just trying to negotiate a mini roundabout. Yet another very elderly lady crashed straight into a traffic bollard for no apparent reason, writing off her car. In all these, it was only luck that prevented anyone being seriously injured or killed.

Report him to the DVLA

He needs to be reported, I had a very bad argument with a family member who had glaucoma and had been told already to hand the licence in by a junior doctor, but would not until he had seen a consultant. He did hand it in right away, the delay was a matter of weeks but who knows what could have happend.

Someone reported MIL to the DVLA (thank you whoever you are as her own kids and husband didn;t want to upset her)

They wrote to her and she had to attend an appointment with her Dr. to determine her fitness to drive. If she refused her licence would be automatically revoked.

You can fill in the form online.

This might sound awful, but I'm afraid that when a similar situation arose with my DF, I ended up lying to him and telling him his GP had been in touch with me to tell me he shouldn't be driving any more and then I took his keys. I tried everything else before that to stop him driving but I knew I would absolutely never forgive myself if he had killed someone on the road so a lie was the lesser of two evils. A visit from the police would have just about killed him, so I wouldn't have wanted that.

Can you remove the battery, then report?

You need to report to Police today and give them his details and vehicle details. The local traffic Police can go and see him or better still stop him whilst he’s driving. This is beyond dangerous. Also report him to the dvla. You don’t need to give your details to either agency.
The dvla alone will not react quickly enough. It will take days or even weeks to filter through. It’s also not enough for him to voluntarily surrender his driving licence, as there is nothing to stop him doing that then applying for another one and driving again.

If he will not listen you have to inform the DVLA.

My stepfather was spoken to by another driver after 2 near misses on the same day and it was clear to my Mum that he could no longer ‘read’ traffic though he would not listen. The stranger intervening convinced him to give up voluntarily.

He has done a test due to his dementia just a few weeks before which he passed, so it can deteriorate rapidly.

Myself and DD1 as a young child were nearly hit by an elderly driver who clearly had impaired vision.

Please don’t hesitate.

You must report.

I had a friend in a similar position - he disabled his mother's car so she can't use it. She luckily hasn't tried to get it fixed herself as her son usually sorts it out for her. He has told her that because of Covid nobody can get the part!

I would ring the DVLA and the police. Maybe the police could send someone round to have a stern word with him.

There was a story in the paper this week about an elderly gentleman with bad cataracts who refused to stop driving, and killed someone - he was given a prison sentence, I think.

I really feel for him. But he could kill someone. You need to report.

i had to report Mum. She had been advised not to drive by the optician so she changed her optician. She was furious when stopped from driving but thought the optician had reported her.

Was getting ready to report Dad when he had a (luckily) minor accident. The police made it clear that so long as he surrendered his licence that would be the end of it but if he refused they would prosecute. Luckily he agreed.

It’s so hard to manage this type of situation! I think if you can’t get him to listen to you, and the GP is unhelpful then you have to report to DVLA.

Try asking him how often he uses the car, how much it costs him to keep it in the road, and suggest taxis and buses instead? If you can emphasise that he won’t loose independence then he might be less redistant. Maybe he would sell the car but keep his license? It’s daft but I think many older men (in particular) see driving as part of their role, so giving up a license is very difficult.

I don’t think the police can do much unless they’ve evidence of him driving dangerously. Young drivers are statistically more dangerous than really quite elderly drivers, the police can’t remove a driving license based on someone being worried about a drivers competence.

I know it's a horrid situation for you, but please report it.

Too many people have been killed by drivers who shouldn't be on the road

www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/driver-admits-killing-cyclist-after-being-told-not-to-drive-because-of-failing-eyesight-458620

You need to call the DVLA and get him stopped before he causes an accident and someone dies.

Report to DVLA. They could kill someone. Or themselves. Derick f is no joke.

Last year a very elderly driver mowed down and killed a cyclist.
He said he never saw him. It was broad daylight.

I don't care how hard it is for a person to go without transport, I am in the same boat but it isn't ok to drive and kill anyone is it?

Report it as well to his GP surgery -they have a duty to inform the DVLA. Also direct to DVLA and the police before he kills someone.