As a relative, friend, or person concerned about a medically unfit driver, you do not have the authority to report that driver directly to the state of Illinois. While some states allow people to report potentially unfit drivers to the state for investigation, Illinois is not one of those states. Instead, Illinois only allows licensed physicians, law enforcement officers, and members of the judiciary to request that the state investigate an individual’s continued fitness to drive.

You Can Still Protect the Driver You Are Worried About—and Others

Even though the Illinois Secretary of State’s office will not accept a report from a friend or relative, there are steps that you can take to protect your loved one and others on the road. Specifically, you can:

  • Contact your loved one’s doctor or the police. You can share your concerns with the doctor or police office, and request that they contact the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office so that the state can begin an investigation into whether your loved one is medically fit to drive a car.
  • Talk to your loved one or take action as a family. This may be very difficult—particularly if your loved one is suffering from dementia and is unable to appreciate the risk of continuing to drive a car. However, you may be able to convince your loved one to stop driving or to accept rides from friends and family so that she doesn’t get hurt or cause an accident.

You are not in an easy position. It is hard to convince someone you care about to give up the independence that comes with having an Illinois driver’s license. However, it may save your loved one’s life—or the life of an innocent person. Accordingly, it is important to have these difficult conversations today.

 

Jason F. Abraham
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Helping car accident and personal injury victims throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa since 1993.