Transport in Berlin : experts are calling for traffic tests for seniors at the wheel

after a certain age, admitting that you can't drive a car, hurts. For many older people the car is more than just a habit: It is a sign of vitality, independent living, and a Form of participation in the life that you do not leave voluntarily, the Younger.

But if, as in the past few days, senior citizens causes of traffic accidents, which are only assumed to be by chance, lightly, the question is, what prevails: The personal interest or the General safety.

at the end of December, a 90-year-old motorist together went to the A100 motorway against the direction of travel and crashed with an oncoming car. Just because both cars were very slowly on the road, remained both drivers unharmed. On Monday, a 87 - year-old man in the Parking slipped in front of a supermarket in Zehlendorf, according to information from the brake to the accelerator pedal and raced straight to the exit of the super market. Here, too, there was no damage except for the broken disc, but had stopped at the time of accident customers in the area, this would result in a different image.

terms such as maximum driving age or driving tests for seniors to dive into the discussion, since the European driving licence 2013 reform everyday life in most of the neighbouring countries. Because with the exception of Germany, France, Austria, Ireland, Latvia, and Belgium, all EU member States ask their drivers after a certain age, to medical Test and Verification of fitness to Drive.

In Italy. car drivers already have a 50 for the first Test, because the driving licence will be extended for further periods of five years, from 70 then just three years The majority of countries between 60 and 70 years of age, a first mandatory Review.

To the right: According to the Federal statistical office, caused seniors who are 75 or older, 2017 572 accidents, and only slightly less than the much more frequent car driving by the end of the age group of 65 - to 75-Year-old. Siegfried Brockmann, an accident, researchers from the insurer explains: "today we know that beyond the 75. Life year increase statistically the number and Severity of self-caused accidents. In absolute Numbers, it doesn't matter, but on the proportion of the population you see today already that the Numbers approaching the young age groups."

seniors overestimate traffic fitness

The dangers of driving in old age are actually due to the natural aging process deterioration of the sense of performance, weakens the coordination and restricts the mobility. Added to this are often age-related diseases, such as cataracts or heart weakness.

the Director of The clinic for geriatric medicine, and geriatric medicine of the Charité, Ursula Müller-Werdan, meet even more new patients to surrender their licence voluntarily, "but the rule is that people overestimate their roadworthiness." She advises that the help of in-house physicians to adopt appropriate Tests for cognitive performance.

Because for many seniors, Driving is for you, but also for other easy-to-dangerous, such as the Berlin traffic psychologist Peter white Klepzig. Without legal regulation, not only the social environment remains mostly as a control instance, "unfortunately, it must often happen, in order for people to be reasonable," says Klepzig.

city motorway, Berlin's 90-year-old wrong-way driver accident on the A100

Who has no driver's license, the Taxi or the public transport system remains all the same. The transport Association Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB) offers a special subscription for senior citizens, the 65plus plan. In addition, the "Berlkönig", a Taxi-Sharing could be used by the elderly, says Petra Reetz, spokeswoman of the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG). Even wheelchair users can be taken in the Berlkönig. 133 Berlin metro stations out of a total of 173 were now accessible, Reetz. And in 2019 to be equipped with a further 20 stations with elevators.