seniors at the wheel have to give on your own safety and other road users, especially eight. A guide for older car drivers.
Especially in the higher age the car can be a challenge. Seniors should, therefore, your ability to drive and scrutinize. The guide of the Alzheimer’s disease research is the best.
The car is a fundamental part of our individual mobility. For every car driver, the security must be a top priority, in truth everyone knows but all the traffic rules – such as when green arrow at the traffic light*.
But, particularly in the higher age, the following questions arise: What if the driving competence declines? How can seniors your driving can make a realistic assessment? What relatives can do if you are of the opinion that the security is no longer guaranteed to be behind the wheel?
Alzheimer’s research has published the guide “ Safe driving in old age ” – the following is the guide for older car owners and their families.
1. Health problems car driver to affect in the higher age
Often> health problems sneak <strong rather unnoticed in our lives. The vision is not any more, the muscles are no longer so strong and the joints stiffer, you can hear everything good or overlooks complex situations in the transport. The effects of medications that should not be underestimated.
At best an open conversation with the doctor that can also give a assessment of the Driving ability helps. Patients with dementia on fall often less due to unsafe driving rather than orientieriung problems.
2. Safety tips for seniors at the wheel
Older drivers should work together to develop with your family or friends strategies for safe Driving. This includes, for example, to avoid commuter traffic, to drive preferred the known routes, the route choice potential problem areas such as freeway on-ramps, complicated designed intersections or left-turn lanes be excluded. In the case of car clubs or the TÜV there are also special training for senior citizens.
3. Self-assessment
In the self test you can be handling critical questions:
I Lose to the To the orientation? I’m on unfamiliar roads or in heavy traffic nervous? I’ll be honked at more often? I have problems to overlook situations at junctions (traffic signs, other road users, right of way rules)? It’s hard for me to turn the head and look over your shoulder? Happened to me for the last time, several small or near-accidents?
also read : The classic car-sell: 80-Year-old almost becomes a victim of swindlers.
4. Questions of the members of
family members or good friends should be Point out critical questions. For example:
he or she is Driving extremely slow? He miss road signs or traffic light signals? He drives very aggressive or very fearful? He has problems during the travel to operate several functions at the same time? He overlooks other road users?
5. Measures
The best place to start is a personal consultation . In advance, you should make it clear how much the members of individual mobility means, and whether it is perhaps even mandatory for the management of his everyday life. What is important is the is not in the conversation, not to hurt the self-esteem of the elderly people and to emphasize more their own Ensure the integrity, as to be afraid. A good step can be, of Alternatives to car travel and to signal self-willingness to make trips.
6. Alternatives without a car
mobility without a car is not going anywhere without a problem. Who is connected to good public transport, dispensed easier to own a car as residents of a village in the countryside where the Bus leaves only two Times a day. But there are often on-the-spot services of the welfare associations , social services or Church .
Who has a car, saving so much money that you can treat yourself to a Taxi. In addition, you can arrange with grocery stores, pharmacies, and Restaurants that the Goods will be delivered to your home.
also read : More cyclists on the road: ADFC calls for better Expansion of the bike paths.
7. Legal – how long is the licence valid?
people with the year of birth prior to 1953, must no later than 19. January 2033 your driving licence in the new EU driving licence at the best . This, then, is 15 years. The local government, however, there is evidence that the driving could fitness be restricted, you can arrange a Review of .
a driving fitness Is no longer, can be moved in the driving licence. A Alzheimer’s Patient a traffic accident caused his insurance may require recourse for the damage. Members are not liable by the way.
The Info-brochure “Safe car driving in old age – A guide for seniors” is available free from the Alzheimer’s research ordered under Tel. 0211/862 06 60, on the website or by e-Mail info@alzheimer-forschung.de.
interesting : classic-car Test: a nearly 100-year-old Roadster to drive.
Volker Pfau
