What happens (legally) if an older person drives and ends up seriously hurting or killing someone?
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Anonymous
USAA dropped my parents’ umbrella after my elderly dad had an accident which wasn’t clearly his fault and he had all his marbles. This was after having no accidents on his record. Tell him that his is risking their coverage by having her driving. |
Anonymous
Yes, and they can sue for millions, and probably win. She wouldn’t go to jail, most likely, but could lose a lot of moeny do she has it. Make sure they have a really good umbrella policy. She needs to not be driving. |
Anonymous
| You should contact mom's doctor and explain the situation. Certainly she will be in for something at some point. Have her doctor be the bad guy, not you... |
Anonymous
| If she has an official diagnosis, you can have her doctor contact the DMV. |
Anonymous
| Many states allow you to contact the DMV or state police and report concerns about unsafe drivers. They don’t reveal source of info, just inform person they have to come in for road test/written test within a given time period, if they don’t license is revoked. This worked well for us - person doesn’t know what triggered the review, but opted to just turn in his license rather than go through the retest. |
Anonymous
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Yes, just contact the state DMV. They won’t give your name. You can also contact the local police station and ask for their advice. I know a couple in their nineties who were driving to a doctor on an unfamiliar road and T-boned a car, killing themselves and a man and his 8 year old son.
We thought my mother wasn’t driving, but she decided to go out, hit the gas instead of the break, jumped the curb and smashed into the apartment building. It was horrifying. |
Anonymous
| OP, in some states, e.g. VA, a family member can anonymously fill out a DMV form to report an unsafe elderly driver. It triggers an investigation, in which the driver is required to undergo additional testing to retain their license. Doctors can also file such forms. |
Anonymous
| Google “Santa Monica Farmers Market Crash” and read the Wikipedia entry. |
Anonymous
| Make sure they have a high umbrella policy. |
Anonymous
Op here Yes I lived in so Cal at that time and remember.... |
Anonymous
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It is not about the legal ramifications....it should be about doing the right thing. In 1983, I was a freshman in college in Melbourne FL; I was bicycling back from the beach (on a bike path) when I got clipped by a car. I was hurt; spent six months in a neck brace, and have had chronic headaches for about three years.
The driver was confused. She was in her 80's, and did not realize she was on the bike path. She had 4 other accidents in the prior 6 months; her insurance had been canceled, but she continued to drive. Yes, she was ticked, and her car was towed. She did have her license revoked...I am certain there was no malice on her part, but, I was in pain for years after that. (there were no assets). It should not be about her legal responsibility. It should be about your ethical responsibility. |
Anonymous
Well what do you suggest I do to fullfill my “ethical responsibility?” I can not physically take the keys away from my parents because they are 3000 miles away and travel is prohibited. Also, like I said, my mom is not interested in driving. My dad, who is still capable of driving, wants her to drive in situations where he can not. So I would have to take Keyes and vehicle away from him? Like I said they are self centered people and approaching it from a legal/financial aspect will carry more weight. They have to run errands somehow. How it effects others won’t deter them. |
Anonymous
I don’t think anyone that was here will ever forget. It was horrific. A friend of mine was in a building overlooking the market and he said the bodies were flung like rag dolls in front of the car. |