There’s no mandatory health check for older drivers in Germany. But when they’re involved in an accident, they’re the main cause in two out of three cases.
00:1174-year-old Barbara is taking part in a driving safety workshop for seniors close to Berlin.
00:17On today's schedule, emergency braking, steering technique and collision avoidance.
00:24This is my first time doing a training session in the car.
00:28Because I think it's interesting and might give me more of a sense of safety at this age.
00:33Most of today's sick students have been driving for over 40 years and are taking part voluntarily.
00:39I'm here today because my children gave me the driver safety training course as a birthday present,
00:45so that Grandpa could add to his driving skills and become more careful on the road.
00:51Driving trainer Thomas Kipp supervises the class and gives some practical advice.
00:58You could move backwards a little, but not much.
01:03The participants have already spent most of their lives driving vehicles, have had their own experiences during this time,
01:10and if they're honest, they'll have noticed one or two bad road habits that have crept in.
01:16In Germany, once you've got your license, you're basically good for life.
01:21In other European countries, such as Spain, Italy and Denmark, regular health checks become mandatory from a certain age in order to renew a driving license.
01:30I'm against a general regulation that prescribes the age at which you're no longer allowed to drive.
01:39Once you hit a certain age, you should want to test yourself in order not to endanger yourself or others.
01:47Statistics show that drivers over 65 in Germany are involved in accidents less frequently,
01:53possibly also because they drive fewer miles on average.
01:56But when accidents occur, they are at fault in about two-thirds of cases.
02:01But Barbara is optimistic that she won't be part of that statistic.
02:06I think I'm always ready to react properly now.
02:10The training was a success for everyone. All of today's seniors are staying on the road.
