Elderly Motorists in Hesse: A Rising Trend in Major Accidents
Elderly drivers in Hesse experiencing a rise in severe vehicle collisions - Rising instances of severe motor vehicle crashes involving senior citizens in the Hessen region.
Hesse is witnessing a troubling increase in senior drivers involved in severe accidents, a trend observed despite younger demographics driving more. This revelation comes from an analysis by the Accident Research of Insurers within the German Insurance Association.
Over the period between 2013 and 2023, overall car accidents resulted in injuries and fatalities decreased by 13 percent to approximately 24,000. However, the number of drivers aged 75 and older - who constitute a smaller percentage of overall drivers - increased by 20 percent to roughly 1,400. This increase was marginally lower in Hesse compared to the nationwide figure (26 percent).
An alarming finding is that three out of every four elderly drivers were the primary cause of the accidents they were involved in during 2023. This represents a 21 percent rise compared to a decade prior.
Kirstin Zeidler, head of the Accident Research of Insurers (UDV) in the German Insurance Association, explained the situation: "It appears that an increasing number of seniors are on the roads in Hesse." Between 2008 and 2017, the 75+ age group increased their car mileage by 105 percent. More current data in this regard is not available.
The UDV anticipates that this trend will continue as more senior citizens acquire driver's licenses. From 2015 to 2024, the number of licensed drivers aged 75+ nationwide doubled from 2.5 million to nearly 5.9 million, with an increasing number of women obtaining licenses as well.
Zeidler advocates for something called feedback drives, where drivers over 75 can receive confidential advice from experts on their driving after completing a 45-minute drive in their own vehicle. This service, which carries no consequences for a driver’s license, boosts its acceptance.
Age-related declines in attention, concentration, and reaction speed pose significant risk factors for elderly drivers. While accidents involving the elderly may be less common due to reduced driving, when they do occur, they often result in more severe outcomes due to seniors’ physical frailty compared to younger drivers.
It’s worth noting that, despite their lower representation on roads, older age groups are less frequently involved in traffic accidents compared to younger demographics. However, this is largely due to factors like reduced professional activity leading to fewer miles driven. When it comes to the severity of accidents, seniors aged 75 and over exhibit a comparable risk to younger drivers, similar to those aged 18 to 24.
While Hesse-focused data is limited, this analysis offers valuable insights into the rising trend of severe accidents involving senior drivers and the complex factors driving this trend.
- The German Insurance Association's Accident Research of Insurers in Hesse reported a 20% increase in senior drivers aged 75 and older over the 2013-2023 period.
- In 2023, three out of every four elderly drivers in Hesse were found to be the primary cause of their accidents, representing a 21% rise compared to a decade prior.
- Kirstin Zeidler, head of the Accident Research of Insurers, attributes the increased mileage among seniors to a growing number of senior citizens acquiring driver's licenses, with the number doubling from 2015 to 2024.
- Zeidler suggests implementing feedback drives, where seniors can receive confidential advice from experts on their driving, to help manage the risks posed by age-related declines in attention, concentration, and reaction speed.
- Despite their smaller representation on the roads, older age groups like seniors aged 75 and over exhibit a comparable risk to younger drivers in terms of the severity of accidents, similar to those aged 18 to 24.
- The analysis also suggests that the employment policy in EC countries may play a role in the reduced professional activity among seniors, leading to fewer miles driven, and subsequent lower rates of traffic accidents in older age groups.
