Chaos at the intersection: 82-year-old causes serious accident!

Chaos at the intersection: 82-year-old causes serious accident!

Oberösterreich, Österreich - A traffic accident on Mühlreith Landesstraße (L1278) in Upper Austria caused dramatic scenes on Monday afternoon. An 82-year-old driver from Nußdorf am Attersee wanted to turn left at the intersection with the B1 towards the Franconian market when she overlooked a vehicle from a 28-year-old man from Ampflwang, who drove on the B1 towards Mösendorf. The collision ended with the fact that the older lady's car tipped over to the passenger side and came to a standstill. Both participants suffered injuries and were hospitalized. The senior citizen was transported to the Vöcklabruck Clinic with serious injuries, while the young driver was fortunately less seriously injured. An alkotest of the man was negative. Initial findings indicate the carelessness of the elderly as a cause of the accident, which puts the general problem of traffic safety in the light again. Kosmo reports about it.

traffic safety of older road users is a growing concern, especially since seniors aged 65 and over are increasingly involved in traffic accidents. According to data from the Federal Statistical Office, 2023 people aged 65 and over were responsible for 18.5% of accidents with personal injury, despite a lower proportion of population of only around 22%. The over 75-year-olds are particularly affected, in which 76.6% of the accidents go to their account. In comparison, younger drivers under the age of 65 were the main cause in 55.2% of cases. The error rate when turning or turning is significantly increased among older drivers, which indicates an increased risk of accidents.

causes and recommendations

One of the main causes of accident frequency among older drivers are declining reaction skills and eyesight that are associated with age. The ADAC recommends seniors to regularly check their driving ability. The organization emphasizes that the increasing number of older road users who are considered endangered makes significant medical reviews and vision tests necessary. Health problems and taking certain medication can also significantly influence traffic safety.

plans to support this age group are already in full swing. The ADAC offers a driving fitness check to optimize driving behavior and has developed driving safety training especially for older road users. The "Safe mobile" program is aimed at all active road users over 65 years, regardless of their means of transportation. Initial successes show that a careful driving style and regular training increase the risk of accidents, but do not automatically reduce participation in road traffic.

statistics in focus

The statistics speak a clear language: In 2022, over 77,700 people aged 65 and over were involved in traffic accidents. 1,023 older people died, which makes up for 36.7% of all fatalities in road traffic. The likelihood of older people, not to survive a traffic accident, is also significantly higher than younger ones. The getting used to the road conditions and the lower risk of being involved in accidents is often attributed to a reduced participation in road traffic. These developments illustrate an urgent need for improved measures to support older road users to ensure their security.