Should be required for seniors of a certain age to a driving aptitude test? This question is discussed again. Now Minister of transport, Scheuer took the floor and outlined a vision of the future.
Berlin (Reuters) - Regardless of the concerns of accident researchers, the Federal Minister of transport, Andreas Scheuer, mandatory testing for older motorists rejects clip, and clear.
"A road test for seniors will not be with me," said the CSU politician of the Newspapers of the Funke media group. "From the accident statistics no abnormalities. Accidents can happen to a 21-year-old driver as well as a 81-year-old driver."
Similar to Scheuer, the automobile club, the ADAC, argues: "Older drivers behave in the road traffic, as a rule, carefully, defensively and with foresight." People aged 65 years and over caused about 16 percent of the accidents with injuries, although they represent 21 percent of the population, informed the ADAC on Wednesday at the request of the German press Agency.
The Accident research of the General Association of the German insurance industry disagree, however, with the statement that the accident statistics no abnormalities for older drivers.
It was true that the elderly caused in the total number of less accidents as a novice driver, said the head of the accident research of the insurers, Siegfried Brockmann, the dpa. The sun in mind, however, that women have made over 75 years ago, much less a driver's license than in the Generation of the current novice and seniors will drive on average simply less car.
A complete image is obtained according to Brock's information only if you have a look at in addition to the absolute Figures, the number of accidents in relation to mileage. Brockmann refers to the so-called km-related accident stress.
In the case of fatal crashes, the ratio of accidents is the driving power in the group of seniors aged 75 years and older at 5,05. In the age group of accident-prone novice up to and including 20 years, he is 3,50 significantly lower. Based on crashes with injured, not killed, is the Quotient of the two groups about equal. In the case of the novice, and he 3,69, in the case of the seniors at the age of 75 years and older at 2,98. For all other groups it is lower. Brockmann, therefore, urges that all seniors aged 75 years or older a mandatory requirement for a travel with a companion, inform the Senior then about possible deficits.
With the objections to accident statistics faced, said Minister of transport Scheuer on Wednesday: "We have the accident no abnormalities." He knew that over the decades, in the wave motion will be discussed, whether seniors should make aptitude tests, and the best is mandatory. "And I say: no. I'll take the responsibility." In order to test your Fitness, you could go to any Elder to his family doctor and check. "We recommend these fitness tests."
Scheuer expects, according to its own statement anyway, so that older people, in the face of Autonomous and automated systems "in the near future (...) will not drive itself". Just on the country's Elderly could remain mobile. "You call a self-driving car, can join with friends or neighbors, and to bring the pharmacy or supermarket. This will soon become a reality and is the greatest opportunity to equivalent living conditions", - said the Minister of transport.
About driving tests for elderly drivers has been discussed again and again. Also in the UK there was recently such a debate - after Prince Philip had an accident, in which the 97-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II behind the wheel. The ADAC pointed out voluntary driving Fitness Checks, which would be well accepted.
Date Of Update: 09 February 2019, 12:03
