The regular checks of older drivers actually yield practically nothing. This is the conclusion of a study by the Accident Prevention Advisory Center (BFU).
Everyone who has a driving license in Switzerland is obliged to undergo a medical examination every two years from the age of 75. The GP provides insight into whether the seniors who have been called meet the minimum medical requirements to be allowed to continue driving. This should contribute to road safety in the country.
But it has now been found that, relative to the daily distance traveled by car, seniors in Switzerland cause about the same number of serious road accidents as in Germany or Austria, where there is no such obligation. The BFU concludes that the driver checks have only a minor positive effect on road safety.
At least raise the age limit again?
Walter Wobmann (64) is not surprised by the result. The Solothurn SVP National Council fought in parliament in 2017 to raise the age limit for driving checks from a minimum of 70 to 75.
“If even the BFU, which is otherwise so strict, concludes that these senior checks are of little use, at most you could consider raising the age limit further to 80 years,” says Wobmann. For the time being, however, he could live with it if further developments were still awaited – “if only half-heartedly”.
“This is pure official madness”
Wobmann’s fellow party member Benjamin Giezendanner (40) does not want to wait. The National Council of Aargau still wants to study the BFU study in detail, but already reserves the right to introduce a motion in parliament demanding the complete abolition of senior checks. “For me, this is pure official madness, which costs a lot and yields little.”
Of course, Giezendanner admits that regular checks can be useful in individual cases. However, GPs are obliged to report in any case if they determine that a patient is probably no longer fit to drive.
“burden on care”
Otherwise, however, the SVP National Council prefers to rely on its own responsibility. “There are many who voluntarily hand over their driver’s license,” he is convinced. He also has no objection to raising awareness by the state. But that’s enough for him.
If the measures have no effect, they should be lifted, agrees Bernese FDP National Councilor Christian Wasserfallen (41). He would therefore abolish medical checks, “because they only burden the health system”. Instead, a short driving check regarding reaction and vehicle control would be possible.
BFU wants to wait
The BFU recommends that the checks be held for the time being. After raising the age for the first examination from 70 to 75 in 2019, it remains to be seen how this will affect safety.
If the number of serious accidents caused by older drivers does not increase, the age limit can be raised to 80 years, according to the advice center. Only then can a complete abolition be discussed.