80-year-old races 25 kilometers as a ghost driver on A1 near Vöcklabruck!

80-year-old races 25 kilometers as a ghost driver on A1 near Vöcklabruck!

In the night of Saturday, an 80-year-old man became a ghost driver on the West Autobahn (A1) in the Vöcklabruck district. His ghost trip stretched over 25 kilometers towards Vienna and caused great excitement among the other road users. Numerous drivers reported the man through the police call when they saw him in the wrong direction, which led to dangerous evasive maneuvers. In one of these maneuvers, the 80-year-old collided with another vehicle, but fortunately both he 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 scene of the accident on the fast lane.

The background of the ghost ride are as frightening as it is unclear. According to the police, the driver had overlooked a descent, turned at Regau and then drove back on the highway in the wrong direction. The older man could not explain to himself why he had made this dangerous decision, which may be in connection with more frequent confusion in older drivers.

challenges and solutions

A current study by the overall association of insurers (GDV) examined the causes of false trips and shows alarming trends. The evaluation of anonymized data shows that around 50% of false drivers are over 65 years old. Over 40% are even over 75 years old, and 10% over 85 years. This suggests that a significant number of these drivers may suffer from dementia or similar confusion. In Germany, a checklist is already used for planning trips to confusing places to reduce such incidents.

traffic planners and scientists deal intensively with this topic and are looking for technical and planning solutions. In Austria there are large yellow warning signs of motorway trips that indicate the risk of false trips. In addition, students from the Saarland University develop systems that false drivers can recognize using infrared sensors. In Belgium, cameras are being considered to identify and activate warning lights.

The importance of preventive measures

The emeritus psychologist Berthold Färber emphasizes that faster warnings of false drivers are of essential importance to increase safety on the streets. Siegfried Brockmann also suggests that accompanied trips could offer valuable support for older drivers instead of confronting them with driving bans. These measures could help promote insight and to prevent accidents like that of the 80-year-old man.

A combination of modern navigation systems, clear warning signs and intelligent cars could significantly increase security on the streets in order to counteract further ghost trips. Bayerischer Rundfunk has already announced that it will continue to actively warn false drivers on traffic radio in order to improve traffic safety.

The tragic ghost trip of the 80-year-old is a clear indication of how important it is to meet the increasing challenges for older drivers with suitable measures.