80-year-old ghost driver ensures chaos on A1 near Vöcklabruck!

80-year-old ghost driver ensures chaos on A1 near Vöcklabruck!

An 80-year-old man caused excitement on the West Autobahn (A1) in the Vöcklabruck district last night when he made a distance of 25 kilometers towards Vienna as a ghost driver. The ghost trip that stretched until early morning was reported by several other road users who raised the alarm via the police call. There was dangerous evasive maneuvers, with one of them the ghost driver collided with another vehicle. Fortunately, both the 80-year-old and the 54-year-old driver of the other car remained unharmed.

The police were able to stop the man about one and a half kilometers from the accident site on the fast lane. He stated not to be able to explain how his ghost trip came about. According to initial knowledge, the 80-year-old had overlooked a descent and was turned at Regau before moving back onto the highway in the wrong direction. This situation illustrates the dangers that arise from false trips and raises questions about the possible causes.

over 65 and endangered

A current study by the overall association of insurers (GDV) showed that around 50% of false drivers are over 65 years old and 40% even over 75 years. The traffic experts should pay special attention to dementia patients and confused older drivers. The study, which analyzed 222 cases of false drivers, was based on anonymized data, including psychological reports and accident sketches. A third of these false trips happen because drivers deliberately change directions, often after turning in flowing traffic.

In order to minimize the problem of wrong -way trips, traffic planners and scientists are working on technical and planning solutions. In Austria, large yellow warning signs are already installed on motorway trips that indicate the risk of wrong -way trips. Cameras are used in Belgium to recognize ghost drivers and activate warning lights. An innovative approach comes from students from the University of the Saarland who have developed a system that identifies false drivers using infrared sensors.

prevention measures and technology solutions

In Germany, there has been a checklist for planning motorway trips since 2013 to improve confusing bodies. The emeritus psychologist Berthold Färber emphasizes the need for faster warnings of false drivers. Siegfried Brockmann suggests accompanied trips for older drivers to promote more insight instead of imposing driving bans immediately. Technical measures are also discussed as solutions, including "autopilot", which could prevent a onward journey in the wrong direction. A combination of modern navigation systems, warning signs and intelligent cars could ultimately increase security for all road users.

The incidents such as the ghost trip of the 80 -year -old on the A1 not only represent an individual problem, but are symptomatic of the larger challenges with which traffic planning and security is confronted. The topic therefore remains of high relevance.