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91-year-old gets lost on the way home and calls the police!
A 91-year-old Belgian man gets lost in the Hunsrück, is rescued by passers-by and taken to the police. Road safety in old age.
91-year-old gets lost on the way home and calls the police!
A 91-year-old Belgian experienced an unwanted adventure when he wanted to go home after a doctor's visit in St. Vith on June 16, 2025. Unfortunately, he accidentally took the wrong exit and traveled over 100 kilometers until he arrived at the “Stumpfer Turm” rest area in Morbach. The disoriented senior sat there in the summer heat and had neither enough fluids nor food with him. Passers-by who noticed the worrying situation immediately informed the police, who then took the man into care and took him to the police station in Morbach, where he was treated to coffee and cake.
The old man's sons were notified and drove from Belgium to pick up their father. The Morbach police station expressed a heartfelt thank you to the attentive people who helped the elderly gentleman and were thus able to prevent something worse from happening.
The risks for older drivers
These incidents shed light on the challenges faced by older road users. According to a study by the ADAC, seniors should check their driving ability carefully, as reactions and eyesight can decline with age. This can have fatal consequences as older people are more susceptible to injuries. In 2023, 18.5% of personal injury accidents were caused by road users aged 65 and over, even though this age group only makes up around 22% of the population, the ADAC website reports.
Seniors are particularly at risk as unprotected road users. Data shows that more than half of pedestrians and cyclists who died were at least 65 years old. A remarkable fact is that even among Pedelec users, almost 70% of those who died in accidents come from this age group, as can be seen from the article by the Federal Ministry of Transport.
Protection and support for older drivers
To help older road users, there are numerous programs such as “Stay mobile, but safe!”, which are offered by the German Traffic Watch. Here we provide information about turning accidents, safe cycling and many other aspects of traffic safety. The events are free and available nationwide, making them an attractive opportunity to further your education.
In addition, the ADAC offers a driving fitness check to optimize the driving style of older drivers. Regular medical examinations, particularly of vision, are strongly recommended to ensure fitness to drive. Of course, this check does not replace medical advice, but it is valuable support in staying safe on the road.
Society is asked to treat older road users with respect and care. "I feel young. I just need longer" is a campaign that aims to make younger age groups aware of the special needs of older people. Because it is in everyone's interest to create a safe and respectful transport environment in which everyone, including older citizens, can get along well.
In a world in which mobility is central to our lives, we should work together to ensure that older people can also travel safely and independently - because everyone has the right to safely participate in road traffic.
For more details about the incidents in Morbach, read the full reports rhein-zeitung.de, Information about road safety for seniors can be found at adac.de and detailed analyzes of the topic bmv.de.