Driving in Old Age - Practical Checks for More Safety? - Feedback drives help older motorists stay safer on the road longer
Driving safety for older motorists has become a key concern in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Many seniors in the region depend on cars to stay independent, yet accident risks rise sharply after age 75. Now, a new approach called feedback drives aims to help them stay on the road—more safely and for longer.
The German Insurance Association has recommended feedback drives for drivers aged 75 and older. The process involves a 45-minute assessment in the participant’s own car, followed by personalised feedback from an expert. Recommendations focus on improving habits rather than restricting mobility.
Local authorities stress that age alone does not make someone a high-risk driver. While reaction times and concentration may decline with age, statistics show seniors are involved in fewer accidents than their share of the population might suggest. Still, the risk of crashes climbs noticeably after 75, forming what experts call a bathtub curve in accident data. The topic remains sensitive. Few older drivers in the region surrender their licences willingly, and families often struggle with the idea of telling parents to stop driving. Yet the goal of feedback drives is clear: to extend safe driving for as long as possible without taking away independence.
Feedback drives offer a practical way to address road safety without automatically targeting seniors as a risk group. By focusing on individual skills rather than age, the programme could help older drivers adapt and continue driving confidently. The initiative reflects a growing effort to balance mobility with safety in an ageing population.
