Talk to an older parent about their driving

Use this guide if you have noticed new dents, near misses, getting lost on familiar routes or a parent avoiding driving at night, or if they have a health condition that may affect driving. Have specific examples written down and some information about local transport before you start.

Step by step

1. Gather specific, fair observations

   Write down what you have seen yourself, with dates, such as scrapes on the car, missed junctions, confusion at roundabouts or other people raising concerns. Separate what you have observed from what you fear, and be honest that age alone is not the issue: many older drivers are safe and many younger ones are not. Ask if you can be a passenger on a familiar route to see for yourself before raising it.