Dementia Driving Assessment Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's Reporting Rules for Dementia and Driving

Pennsylvania law requires physicians and other authorized health-care personnel to report within 10 days any patient age 15 or older diagnosed with a condition that impairs safe driving (75 Pa.C.S. § 1518(b)). The rule is tied to the driving-impairing condition, not to every dementia diagnosis. You still cannot assume that a report was made or that PennDOT has resolved the safety issue.

Family members and other members of the public can report an unsafe driver to PennDOT by sending a detailed report with their name and contact information. The report is confidential, but family and public reports are not anonymous. Health-care personnel use PennDOT's DL-13 initial medical report. PennDOT can then initiate a recall or reexamination process.

This creates an uncomfortable dynamic for families. Your parent may not self-report, and you may need to make a report to PennDOT or find another way to get your parent off the road.

How PennDOT's Recall Process Works

When PennDOT receives a public report or a required health-care report, it may issue a recall notice requiring the driver to complete one or more of the following within a set timeframe:

Medical examination. PennDOT sends a physical examination form to the driver's physician, who must evaluate whether the driver is medically fit. For dementia, this evaluation should address cognitive function, reaction time, visual-spatial processing, and judgment.

Knowledge and road test. PennDOT may require the driver to retake the written knowledge test and an on-road driving test at a PennDOT Driver License Center. Failure to pass results in license suspension.

Driver rehabilitation evaluation. In some cases, PennDOT accepts an evaluation by a certified driver rehabilitation specialist (CDRS) — an occupational therapist trained to assess driving fitness using both clinical and behind-the-wheel testing. This is the most thorough evaluation available and the one most likely to produce a clear, defensible recommendation.

If PennDOT determines that the driver is medically incompetent, it can recall the license. Failure to comply with a required examination or test can also lead to suspension.

Getting a Driving Assessment

If your parent is in the early stages of dementia and the question is genuinely open — they might still be safe to drive in limited circumstances — a formal driving assessment provides an objective answer:

Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS). These occupational therapists conduct comprehensive evaluations that include clinical testing (cognitive screening, visual acuity, reaction time, range of motion) and an on-road driving assessment in a dual-control vehicle. They'll evaluate intersection navigation, lane positioning, response to unexpected situations, and route-finding ability.

Several Pennsylvania hospitals and rehabilitation centers employ CDRS professionals, including facilities affiliated with Penn Medicine, UPMC, and Moss Rehabilitation. Your parent's neurologist or occupational therapist can usually provide a referral.

The assessment typically costs $300 to $500, and some insurance plans cover it when ordered by a physician. The CDRS will issue a written report with a clear recommendation: continue driving with or without restrictions, reduce driving to specific situations (daytime only, familiar routes), or stop driving entirely.

CarFit programs. These free community events, often run through AAA and local hospitals, evaluate whether a driver's vehicle is properly adjusted for safe operation. CarFit isn't a cognitive assessment, but it can identify physical limitations (seat position, mirror angles, pedal reach) that compound the risks of driving with cognitive impairment.

When the Assessment Isn't the Problem — Taking Away the Keys Is

For many families, the harder conversation isn't whether a parent should stop driving but how to make it happen. A parent with dementia may lack insight into their impairment, may be emotionally attached to the independence driving represents, or may become angry and resistant when the topic comes up.

Approaches that tend to work better than a direct confrontation:

Use the physician as the authority figure. Ask your parent's doctor to directly tell them they should stop driving. Many patients accept this more readily from a doctor than from a child. Some doctors will write a prescription-style note: "Do not drive."

Use the assessment as a neutral arbiter. Frame the CDRS evaluation as a way for your parent to prove they're still safe: "Let's get the test done so you can show everyone you're fine." If the assessment recommends cessation, the recommendation comes from a professional, not from you.

Remove access gradually. Disable the vehicle (disconnect the battery, remove a fuse), hide keys, or sell the car. For a parent with moderate dementia, simply removing the vehicle from sight may resolve the issue — they may stop asking about driving once the visual cue is gone.

Arrange alternative transportation. Pennsylvania's Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) provides free rides to medical appointments for Medicaid-eligible individuals. Local Area Agencies on Aging coordinate senior transportation services. Ride-sharing services with caregiver-managed accounts can replace routine errands.

Do not assume that a dementia diagnosis automatically makes the family liable for a parent's driving. Civil liability depends on the facts; if there is an accident or legal dispute, consult a Pennsylvania attorney. The immediate priorities are making a report, stopping unsafe driving, and arranging alternatives.

Our Pennsylvania Dementia & Memory Care Guide includes a driving safety assessment checklist and a step-by-step protocol for the keys conversation, including scripts for working with your parent's physician.

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