Safe journeys for seniors: Traffic watch helps when driving!

Safe journeys for seniors: Traffic watch helps when driving!

In 2023, 53,093 people aged 65 and over in Germany, 1,071 of which died. In view of these alarming numbers, the Hessen traffic watch has launched a program that offers feedback trips for seniors to improve traffic safety. Eduard Kramm, 83 years old, has already made use of this offer to review and improve his driving skills.

According to the overall association of the German Insurance Industry (GDV), significant driving problems often occur from the age of 75. However, there is no fixed age from which the foster suitability applies. Gerhard Brink, the chairman of the Hesse state transport guard, emphasizes that the individual constitution of the driver is the decisive factor for the driving suitability. In Germany, appeal and personal responsibility are used, while driving bans for older drivers are pronounced in other countries.

Details on the feedback trips

The feedback on the Hesse traffic watch takes about 45 minutes and is carried out by trained driving instructors. The main goal of this initiative is to enable seniors long -term mobility and safety in road traffic. A study carried out with over 100 drivers between the ages of 75 and 96 proves the effectiveness of this approach to traffic safety.

During the feedback, the participant's driving style is observed without the driving instructors actively commenting while driving. A checklist is used to identify typical misconduct in road traffic. The aim of the feedback is to develop individual strategies to improve traffic safety. After the trip, the participant reflects his driving behavior and receives supportive feedback. It is important that information remains confidential; The driving instructor is not entitled to pass on information to the driver's license office. The decision on the suitability for driving is ultimately with the driver and not with the driving instructor.

In addition, the German Road Safety Council (DVR) recommends voluntary participation in feedback trips from the age of 75 in a decision of October 9, 2023. These should serve to maintain and improve the driving skills of older drivers. Statistics show that drivers aged 75 and over 1.8 times as many accidents cause personal damage. The feedback trip consists of a standardized driving behavior observation in real transport and offers a realistic assessment of your own driving skills.

The feedback trip should be carried out with your own vehicle and will take about 30 to 45 minutes, followed by a 10- to 20-minute feedback interview. The feedback takes place at eye level and are motivating and promoting without evaluating driving skills.

For seniors who think about a feedback trip, further information and contact options are available at the Fulda roundabout guard to clarify individual concerns and to ensure traffic safety.

More on the feedback trips and the minimum standards for determining the driving skills of senior citizens can be found in the reports from Fuldaer Zeitung and dvr .

-transmitted by West-Ost-media