Increased number of accidents with elderly people!

Older road users often have impaired vision and hearing and perceive and react slowly. They can compensate for it to a point by their experiences, good habits, and routines. Many elderly people have difficulty walking and are afraid of falling and are therefore less aware of the drivers when they step off the curb or are on their way across the carriageway.

A lot of elderly people perceive pedestrian crossings as particularly safe places and therefore often fail to look before crossing. When crossing the road with a green traffic light they do it with full confidence and without looking around.

Many elderly people are afraid of traffic and are easily startled by cars that quickly approach, drive past, or brake suddenly, which can cause dangerous panic situations. Therefore you should take extra precautions when you see an elderly person in traffic and show extra consideration to them.

In the situation in the picture, the elderly cyclist looks like he has a problem with keeping his balance. He could be surprised by the slow-moving pedestrians. In cases like this, you have to be critical and expect that the cyclist will fall in front of you even though he might stay on the bicycle. Adjust your speed, keep a good distance, and be ready to stop in order to avoid eventual accidents.

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