What is a senior driving agreement?
Few family conversations are harder than asking a parent to drive less. It goes better when the driver has had a say long before anything goes wrong. A senior driving agreement records that say: what the driver is happy to keep doing, which signs would mean it's time to talk again, and whose opinion settles it if the family and the driver see things differently.
This template is written in the driver's voice. It lists any limits they accept now, such as no night driving or no motorways, a set of common warning signs plus any of your own, and how a family member should raise a concern. If you disagree, you rely on the driver's doctor, a professional driving assessment, or both. It also sets out a real transport plan so that stopping driving doesn't mean staying in, says what happens to the car, and fixes when you'll review it. It is a family promise, not a legal contract, and it never takes away the driver's right to decide.
- Best for
- Older drivers and the adult children or relatives who worry about them
- Signed by
- The driver and one family member
- Covers
- Current limits, warning signs, raising concerns, who decides, transport plan, the car, review
- Legal status
- A family agreement, not a contract
- Length
- 2 pages
When to use a senior driving agreement
- A parent in their eighties who still drives to the shops and church
- A driver newly diagnosed with an eye condition or early memory loss
- Agreeing no night or winter driving after a minor accident
- Siblings who want one agreed plan instead of three different opinions
- Planning lifts and taxis before the car is sold
What you fill in
11 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: driver, family member.
1 Who is agreeing
- Driver's full name*
- Family member's full name*
- Family member's relationship to the driver*
- Date agreed*
2 Driving now
- Limits the driver accepts from now on
3 Warning signs
- Other warning signs to watch for
4 Who decides
- If we disagree, we will rely on* my doctor's advice · a professional driving assessment · my doctor's advice, and a professional driving assessment if my doctor suggests one
- Driver's doctor (name and phone)
5 Getting around
- How the driver will get around without the car*
- What happens to the car if driving stops* I will decide whether to sell it, give it away or keep it for others to drive me in · it will be sold and I will keep the money for transport costs · it will pass to a family member I name
6 Review
- We will review this agreement* every six months, and after any illness, hospital stay or accident · every year, and after any illness, hospital stay or accident · every three months
7 Who signs
- Driver signature and date · The older adult whose driving this agreement is about.
- Family member signature and date · The relative or friend the driver trusts to raise concerns and help decide.
What the senior driving agreement covers
- Driving now
- Warning signs
- Raising a concern
- Who decides
- Getting around without the car
- Review
Using the senior driving agreement, step by step
1 Talk first, then fill it in together
Sit down with the driver and fill in the template side by side. Enter both names, the relationship and any limits the driver is willing to accept today.
2 Add your own warning signs
The common signs are already listed. Add anything specific, such as a medication that causes dizziness, so both of you know what to look out for.
3 Choose who settles a disagreement
Pick the driver's doctor, a professional driving assessment, or both. Add the doctor's details if the driver is happy for you to contact them.
4 Plan the lifts, then sign
Write down who drives where, plus taxis and community buses, and what happens to the car. Choose a review interval. Both of you sign online, and you can keep the signed PDF in your FileIt vault.
Tips before you send it
- Let the driver choose the words for the limits. People keep promises they wrote themselves.
- Riding along now and then gives you a fair picture, and it's kinder than reporting a rumour.
- Licensing rules for older drivers and medical conditions vary by country and state. Check what your licensing authority requires.
- Make the transport plan concrete, with names and days. Losing the social side of driving is often what drivers fear most.
- Put the review date in your calendar so the agreement doesn't quietly go out of date.
Sign it online in minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Senior driving agreement: frequently asked questions
Can a family member force someone to stop driving with this?
No. The agreement is a promise between the driver and the family about how you'll decide together. It doesn't override the driver's own rights or the licensing authority's rules. What it does is name who you'll listen to if you disagree.
What counts as a warning sign?
The template lists common ones: unexplained scrapes, getting lost on familiar roads, missed signals, tickets or accidents, physical limits like trouble turning your head, and medication that affects alertness. You can add more.
When is the right time to sign it?
Ideally while driving is still going well, so it feels like planning ahead and not like a verdict. Many families use a birthday, a new diagnosis or a licence renewal as the prompt.
Can the driver sign without a FileIt account?
Yes. The driver opens a link, reviews the agreement and signs. You both get the finished PDF with its audit trail and Certificate of Completion.