SIGNS OF LOSING EXECUTIVE FUNCTION
Many come to this site to ask about dementia - how to recognize it, how to help your loved one who is getting worse, etc. Too many think that dementia is only loss of memory. Unfortunately, that is only the tip of the iceberg. If you're dealing with dementia, either in yourself or a loved one, you need to understand loss of executive function. Today I'm posting how loss of executive function affects driving.
Executive function resides in the brain's command center for planning, decision-making, and impulse control. Driving errors arise from poor judgment, rigid thinking, and failure to handle complex, rapidly changing environments. Loss of executive function may be an early warning sign of cognitive decline or other neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia in its many forms, including Alzheimers disease..
Key driving errors; decision-making and judgment failures; can't decide on the spur of the moment what to do in a traffic situation.
Difficulty with left turns; unable to judge speed and distance of oncoming traffic when turning left across lanes.
Ignoring traffic signs; missing or Ignoring stop signs, red lights, or yield signs.
Erratic speed; driving significantly under or over the speed limit, or sudden and inappropriate acceleration and braking.
Poor decision-making under pressure; becoming easily confused and hesitant, or making dangerous decisions when faced with unexpected traffic situations.
Getting lost in familiar areas; disoriented or unable to find their way home in familiar environments.
Difficulty navigating junctions; trouble traversing intersections, lane changes, or merging onto highways.
Impaired spatial judgment; hitting curbs, failing to maintain proper lane positioning, or misjudging space between their vehicle and other objects.
Confusing pedals; misstepping on gas and brake pedals.
Risky driving; increased impulsivity, leading to speeding, aggressive driving, texting while driving, and ignoring seatbelt use.
Mental rigidity; inability to adapt to detours, construction, or unexpected traffic changes.
Neglecting safety measures; forgetting to check blind spots or not using mirrors properly.
Avoidance behavior; consciously limiting driving to familiar, simple routes, avoiding driving at night or in heavy traffic.
Unexplained vehicle damage; new dents, scrapes, or scratches that the driver can't explain or makes up unlikely stories to justify.
Multiple near misses; frequent near misses or other drivers honking or reacting with anger.
If these behaviors are noted, it's best to seek a formal driving assessment from a qualified traffic safely expert, because those with executive function loss often lack insight into their own impairments and try to hide them.
I am contributing this in memory of my wonderful brother-in-law, who was killed at age 49 by a cognitively impaired driver who was also DUI.
I mean...WTF??? What about all the innocent people on the roadways like your wonderful brother-in-law who might still be alive today if some fool wouldn't have let their loved one drive impaired.
I can't help but wonder how many more innocent people have to be killed or injured before something drastic is done to stop the nonsense.
My Uncle killed his own wife (and their dog) in a t-bone car wreck because none of their kids had the huevos to force him to stop driving. He clearly had dementia.
People need to know that in large clinics they may have a virtual driving assessment option, so they should check.