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Alzheimer's and dementia: When to stop driving

Strategies for difficult transitions

If the person living with dementia is unwilling to give up driving, consider these last-resort preventive strategies:

  • Control key access. Keep keys out of sight. If the person with dementia wants to keep a set of keys, offer keys that won't start the vehicle.
  • Disable the vehicle. Remove a battery cable to prevent the car from starting, or ask a mechanic to install a "kill switch" that must be engaged before the car will start.
  • Sell the vehicle. If you can make do without the vehicle, consider selling it.