Car crashes on Gerlingen cemetery: 86-year-old seriously injured!

Car crashes on Gerlingen cemetery: 86-year-old seriously injured!

On Monday there was a serious accident in Gerlingen, Ludwigsburg district, when an 86-year-old man drove his car to the local cemetery. The car overturned and caught fire, which led to a considerable chaos. The senior was seriously injured in this incident, while the exact circumstances of the accident have so far been unclear. This is reported by the SWR Aktuell .

The peace of the cemetery was suddenly disturbed when the car broke through a fence and raced onto the site. Jochen Kozel, the cemetery gardener, watched the action up close and had to avoid to get to safety. The incident was also seen from an adjacent kindergarten. Educator Angela Haug heard the first bang and saw the vehicle in the cemetery, while Moritz Rosenfelder, another educator, was on hand with a first aid box to support the injured until the arrival service arrived.

affected graves and reactions of the residents

Around 50 graves were damaged by the accident, which caused the city of Gerlingen to inform the relatives of the graves concerned. These showed understanding of the situation, although the event is a great burden for many residents. Haug expressed relief that nothing happened to the children in kindergarten, but could not forget the shock message about the incident.

The local authorities are now to determine the damage to property, which could not yet be quantified due to the damage in the cemetery. The circumstances of the accident are particularly worrying if you look at the statistics on traffic accidents with older people. According to the Federal Statistical Office In 2021, over 66,000 people aged 65 and over in traffic accidents, which was involved in 14.5 % of all accidents made up.

statistical insights into traffic accidents

Older people in particular are often unprotected in traffic, and their participation in the accident indicates alarming trends. From the ancient persons aged 65 and over, a significant part suffered serious injuries. 24.8 % of the older road users suffered serious injuries, compared to only 15.7 % of those under 65. The likelihood of surviving a traffic accident is significantly lower for people aged 65 and over, which increases the need to take preventive measures.

These incidents, combined with the high number of older drivers and the often lower participation in road traffic, illustrate the challenges that seniors are in traffic. The accident in Gerlingen offers an urgent insight into this topic and raises questions about security and mobility in old age.