Senior driving fitness
The BFU is offering a new tool that senior citizens can use to check their own fitness to drive. The launch of the driving safety check coincides with the increase in the age for the traffic medical checkup - the first checkup will now take place at 75 instead of 70. If motorists self-assess their driving competence early enough, this can prevent accidents, as several studies have shown.
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In recent years, an average of 25 people have died on Swiss roads in accidents caused by male and female drivers over the age of 70. In an average of 14 of these 25 cases, the person behind the wheel lost his or her life. However, the risk posed by senior citizens in road traffic should not be overestimated - young drivers have a similarly high risk of death per kilometer driven. fatal accidents on.The BFU advises seniors to regularly assess their driving fitness themselves in a serious manner. It has been scientifically proven that this is very important for road safety. When older people and their families are considering driving competence, sensibly structured, standardized self-assessments are a good aid to decision-making.
Fill in regularly
As of now, BFU is providing seniors with a Driving safety check available. The timing is no coincidence: at the beginning of this year, the age for the first mandatory traffic medical examination rose from 70 to 75. However, you can also assess yourself earlier at any time.
The check includes six topic blocks: Being a driver on the road, vision, thinking skills, fitness, health, medication and Alcohol. Each chapter contains several questions. Those who answer honestly and self-critically will quickly identify tricky points for their own driving safety. Thanks to supplementary tips, problems can be seriously addressed and, in some cases, remedied. The self-assessment should be repeated every year - but at least every two years or when problems arise while driving.
The self-assessment can be fill online. A printed version can be ordered free of charge via Order form be requested.
Driving advisor and technical support
In addition to this voluntary driving safety check, the BFU recommends:
- Optimal support from female physicians and pharmacists to maintain driving competence for a long time
- Test drive with a driving consultant (specialized driving instructor for the elderly)
- Attending a refresher course
- Use of driver assistance systems (for example, emergency brake assist)
More info
