FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. Is driving with dementia a serious public health issue in Canada and in Nova Scotia?

2. Why is driving and dementia a problem in Nova Scotia?

3. What is the magnitude of the risk associated with driving and dementia?

4. When in the course of dementia should driving stop?

5. How can an in-office patient encounter be used to estimate fitness to drive in dementia?

6. Do in-office cognitive tests predict driving safety?

6a. What do the national guidelines tell us?
6b. What evidence is there to support the on-road driving assessment?
6c. What should I tell caregivers to look for?
6d. How can we approach the individual patient?

7. What about on-road driving evaluations?

8. What is the role the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)?

8a. Is is mandatory for me to report my concerns about driving safety to the RMV?
8b. What information should I include in my letter to the RMV?
8c. Will I receive confirmation from the RMV that my letter has been received?
8d. What happens when the RMV receives my letter?
8e. What kind of information might be available from the driving record?
8f. What kind of information might be requested from the RMV?
8g. What happens if the Deputy Registrar decides to suspend the license?
8h. What is a re-examination?
8i. What happens if the Deputy Registrar requests that the driver complete a driving re-examination?
8j. Is there a time limit on completing a driving examination request from the RMV?
8k. Do drivers have the right to appeal the RMV’s decision?
8l. What information is used in the hearing?
8m. What arrangements may be made for an appeal hearing?
8n. What are the possible outcomes of an appeal hearing?
8o. If the license is permanently revoked, can the driver appeal this decision?

9. What if the driver continues to drive after the license has been suspended?

Please refer your patients and their caregivers to the Caregiver section of this website where they can learn more.