Cognitive functions refers to your ability to process incoming information. Cognition is your awareness of your surroundings using your perception, reasoning, judgment, intuition, and memory. Any cognitive impairment can negatively affect your ability to drive safely. If your cognitive functions are being questioned, you should contact Mindy H. McQueen immediately to discuss your case and to ensure that your driving privilege is not put at risk.
How Do Cognitive Impairments Affect Senior Drivers?
Dementia is one of the most serious cognitive disorders affecting the older population. Seniors suffering from dementia can present a significant challenge to driving safety and individuals with progressive dementia generally lose their ability to drive safely. Unlike senior drivers with motor function or vision impairments who tend to self-restrict their driving, senior drivers with dementia will often continue driving even when it is unsafe for them to do so.
What Are Some of the Causes of Cognitive Impairment?
The following diseases are some of the causes of an individual’s cognitive impairment:
- Dementia (Alzheimer’s disease is frequently diagnosed, but there are other types of dementia as well)
- Brain Tumor
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Seizure disorder (lapse of consciousness condition)
- Sleep disorders (Narcolepsy, sleep apnea – lapse of consciousness condition)
- Stroke
- Vertigo
The important thing to remember about many cognitive impairments is that many are progressive. Early diagnosis and treatment is vital to ensure that you will be able to drive for as long as possible. As long as we can document that your condition remains mild, we should be able to get your driving privileges reinstated.
What Actions Does DMV Take on Cognitive Impairment?
If you have been referred to DMV or have been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, you will be scheduled for a driver safety reexamination. The reexamination is conducted by a DMV hearing officer. You will also be required to take a written test, a drive test and a vision test.
After your reexamination, the DMV hearing officer may:
- Determine that no condition exists that makes you unsafe to drive
- Reexamine your driving ability at a future date
- Tell you that you must comply with your medical regimen and report any changes to DMV
- Tell you that you must submit annual medical reports to DMV on specified dates
- Issue you a limited term driver license. A limited term driver license is one that is issued for a term shorter than a regular term license. This type of license requires you to return to DMV for more frequent reevaluation and/or testing
- Restrict your driving privilege
- Suspend or revoke your driving privilege
