Driving While Impaired

[ijusluvit]

There's a thread here today about a woman in Chatham who reported her car stolen. As the thread continues, some posters have suggested the poor lady may be suffering from dementia and forgot where she left her car. Whether in this case or not, we all know of, or have heard of folks who suffer from dementia and are still behind the wheel of cars and golf carts. I had to really struggle with my dad to keep him from driving after his dementia clearly made him a hazard to himself and others on the road.

The new Betty White show "Off Their Rockers" did a hilarious skit about a "blind" man who asked for directions to his car, which was in clear view. He then got in and drove away. But it was no joke to us to try to get the car away from a dear friend with serious macular degeneration who lives alone, after she had three car accidents.

So here are my questions:

1) Does Florida motor vehicle law consider folks with serious dementia or vision problems impaired? If so, what screening is done for license renewal?

2) Might someone with one of these conditions be charged with driving while impaired if officers are investigating an accident or a 'stolen' car report?

3) Is the filing of such charges actually an effective, fair way to protect these folks and the public from harm?