Where to find a driving instructor in the area that will improve Mom's driving skills?

Thanks to all of you to take time to answer my question. You all bring up good points and good ideas. I talked with my mother today about her driving and it was a good first step.

I vote for the occupational therapy driving eval first - they should be honest with you about whether skills can be improved - sometimes post-stroke, for example, if there has been good recovery of perceptual skills it might work out fine. This is not something every OT does, but a specialty, commonly available via larger rehab hospitals or centers. And then they can either provide additional sessions for training or she could use a regular driving school or instructor if the OT is not covered and too expensive.

If your mom is capable to drive there is special vechiels that is costom made to sooth her needs And if the doctors approve

If your mother is elderly and her skills have deteriorated there is little chance of improving them with instruction. She may be fine with an instructer in the car but will soon forget when she is on her own. Was she ever a good driver? Is this something new. How do you feel when you ride with her? Would she be willing to take defensive driving course? you may get her to do that on the pretext that if she passes it will reduce her car insurance a little. It is a 3 hour couse which you can do in person or on the internet. The one on the internet is not faster because they show the questions at a set rate but you can do it a little at a time.

I've heard of plenty of doctors on this site who have evaluated someone and written to the state DMV that the patient should not be driving. Who told the policeman that? That's absurd!

Some occupational therapists are trained in doing driving evaluations. Ask her doctor to order an OT eval for this purpose.

I have found that doctors don't want to get involved in taking someone's license away. I know a police officer whose Mom had Alzhemiers and couldn't take her license away. He was told she had to have an accident that would be found to be Alzhemiers related. The closest I got was the Neurologist mainly because of Moms neuropathy not her Dementia. We sold her car right away. I think an intructor is a good idea.

Should your mother even be driving might be the first question to ask and her doctor can evaluate that. When did she last have her eyes examined?

How old is your Mom? I found my Mom could no longer judge distance. She always thinks I'm getting too close to the car next to me. Plus, my Mom is farsighted and wears glasses. You have no side vision, its out of focus. Sounds like a good idea about a class. The instructor can help you determine if she should be driving at all. Call your DMV. Maybe they can test her. We don't want to take that freedom away but we also don't want them hurt or hurt someone else.

One suggestion is to contact your local Council on Aging to see if they could recommend any driving instructors to help your Mom.... click on the website link below.... now click on your State.... now click on your city/county.

https://www.agingcare.com/local/Area-Agency-on-Aging