Seventy years of driving license. It's been a long time since Claude last met a driving instructor. At 91 years old, he volunteers to test his driving skills. But the exam is not obligatory, just a refresher. For an hour, Claude wanders the streets of Orthez. He's used to it. He lives in a senior residence and his daily car journeys pose no problem for him. Confidence reigns, except when the roundabouts arrive. Claude is wary of this and criticizes the recklessness of certain motorists.
Refresher courses
His driving is cautious, but despite everything, overtaken by the driver's great age. Indeed, the instructor noted some careless mistakes. “We lose skills and I think it's good to get back up to speed. For me, it should be mandatory. But I know that the day it stops working, I'll stop. When you have to stop, you have to do it », Claude Hameau, 91-year-old driver.
Reduce the number of accidents
The “Los de Candau” association encourages seniors to take charge of themselves. She offers her courses, alongside medical, vision and hearing examinations. “If with this type of operation, we could even reduce the number of accidents. Perhaps the gaze would shift a little away from the grandpa or grandma who no longer knows how to drive“, Michel Lalanne-Aulet, president of the association “Los de Candau”.
According to the Road Safety Observatory, those over 75 are responsible for 9% of fatal accidents. Half as many as 18-24 year olds.
