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Seniors behind the wheel: “Old people drive past parked cars too closely,” says driving instructor Heike Hilbig.
Photo: Rike_ / Getty Images / iStockphoto
SPIEGEL:
Ms. Hilbig, how voluntarily do old people come to you for the driving test?
Hilbig:
In Germany there is no obligation for older people to have their driving ability checked, but there is often pressure from family. And many actually come of their own accord. I take them on their usual routes, to the supermarket, to the cemetery - in their own car.
SPIEGEL:
And what do the cars look like?
Hilbig:
Sometimes a little scratched. You can see that the distance wasn't right.
SPIEGEL:
A typical driving mistake?
Hilbig:
Yes. Old people often drive too close to parked cars. The eyes, the ears, the mobility decrease. Looking over your shoulder is no longer possible - but people with long driving experience can often compensate for this by looking in the mirror.
SPIEGEL:
Should 90-year-olds still drive cars?
Hilbig:
Some people should leave their car at 75. Some come with walkers and don't drive badly at all. Someone came to see me for the first time when he was 96, because of his family, and said: I'll show you. He's 100 now and still drives. We do the driving check once a year. Last time I said to him: Why are you pulling over to the right? He saw before I did that an ambulance was coming.
SPIEGEL:
But at some point it becomes dangerous.
Hilbig:
It's like that: people fear that they will become lonely without their car. For some people it helps if they say: I don't drive at night anymore. Or I only drive when there is little traffic.
SPIEGEL:
And when you realize: It really doesn't work anymore?
Hilbig:
I won't report this to anyone. I am neutral. I'm not going to the office.
SPIEGEL:
But?
Hilbig:
I call it: sneaking out your driver's license. I say there are supermarkets that deliver groceries to your home. Or a senior citizen transport service. How about you just give it a try? However: Hiding the key with dementia - I've experienced that too.
SPIEGEL:
Do you have any advice for worried relatives?
Hilbig:
The generation that is now gradually saying goodbye to driving is one that still listens very much to doctors and pharmacists. When the doctor says: With all the medication you're taking, it's starting to become difficult to drive - that really impresses them.
SPIEGEL:
And mandatory health checks? This exists in other countries, it was just discussed in Brussels, but Germany rejects it.
Hilbig:
I think voluntariness is better. But I think mandatory hearing and vision tests are reasonable.
SPIEGEL:
When will you hand over your driver's license yourself?
Hilbig:
I think I'll get checked when I'm 70 or 75. But my role model is the man who's still driving at 100.