Can you give us details on this accident? Unless it was NOT your mom's fault, then you really don't need to have her "understand". Just do what you have to do to keep her off the road.
Lovejean, oh dear. How old was her vehicle? If it was an older model, your Mom may not like the new high tech vehicles that are offered now a days. That's one reason I am keeping my 1996 vehicle, way too many thing-a-ma-jigs, whatchamacallits, and doodads in the newer vehicles.
If I had been in a wreck, I would have been shaken up for a very long time. How is your Mom doing?
If Mom is headstrong about wanting to drive, may need to bring out the "therapeutic fibs", like telling her she cannot get new car insurance if she is 85 and over and had a wreck where the vehicle was totaled.... and your car insurance won't cover any driver 85 and older who had wreck a vehicle. I know, these are fibs, but sometimes they do work.... or not. Worth a try. Hope Mom doesn't have her car insurance carrier on speed-dial.
Early bird is right. Doctors can revoke driver’s licenses. My friend lost hers temporarily after blacking out while at work and getting a very bad concussion.
Yikes. Did she get hurt? Anyone else? Was it her fault?
If you had any reservations about her being able to drive anymore, then it's definitely time to pull the plug on this. 87 is pretty darn old to be driving. I don't expect my 78 yo mom to be behind the wheel tooo much longer. I almost stopped it once but her rough day was actually due to her key needing to have some WD40 sprayed on it so it would actually go in all the way!
If you are >60% sure that she is not safe behind the wheel, then there are a number of ways to handle it. At her age, I imagine that she might have at least a touch of dementia going on. Purchasing and insuring a car is rather complicated and she probably can not easily navigate this on her own. So keep pushing it down the road and maybe she'll forget?? If she wants to drive your car, tell her your insurance will not allow it.
Are there alternatives? It's usually the loss of independence that is the issue more than the actual act of driving. Are you in a city with a bus? Uber? A local person you can trust to hire to drive her to things?
If I had been in a wreck, I would have been shaken up for a very long time. How is your Mom doing?
If Mom is headstrong about wanting to drive, may need to bring out the "therapeutic fibs", like telling her she cannot get new car insurance if she is 85 and over and had a wreck where the vehicle was totaled.... and your car insurance won't cover any driver 85 and older who had wreck a vehicle. I know, these are fibs, but sometimes they do work.... or not. Worth a try. Hope Mom doesn't have her car insurance carrier on speed-dial.
For now, take her keys and hide your own.
If you had any reservations about her being able to drive anymore, then it's definitely time to pull the plug on this. 87 is pretty darn old to be driving. I don't expect my 78 yo mom to be behind the wheel tooo much longer. I almost stopped it once but her rough day was actually due to her key needing to have some WD40 sprayed on it so it would actually go in all the way!
If you are >60% sure that she is not safe behind the wheel, then there are a number of ways to handle it. At her age, I imagine that she might have at least a touch of dementia going on. Purchasing and insuring a car is rather complicated and she probably can not easily navigate this on her own. So keep pushing it down the road and maybe she'll forget?? If she wants to drive your car, tell her your insurance will not allow it.
Are there alternatives? It's usually the loss of independence that is the issue more than the actual act of driving. Are you in a city with a bus? Uber? A local person you can trust to hire to drive her to things?
Good luck.