Senior cyclists face rising danger; training courses start in Cologne and Styria

In Germany and Austria, cyclists older than 65 are disproportionately represented among fatal road accidents. In North‑Rhine Westphalia, 2025 saw 106 cyclist deaths, two‑thirds of them aged over 65, many involving e‑bikes. In Styria, 62 % of cyclist deaths between 2023 and 2025 involved seniors. To address the risk, the city of Cologne runs specialised five‑day bicycle‑training courses for people over 65, teaching precise braking, shoulder‑checks and safe handling of pedelecs. Course leader Anke Prinz notes, “Das schwierigste ist für die meisten das Anfahren und Bremsen.” Similar senior‑focused cycling lessons have been offered by the Styrian Senior Association since 2017, covering equipment, helmet adjustment and e‑bike operation. Experts call for broader measures such as expanding separated bike lanes and lowering urban speed limits from 50 km/h to 30 km/h to make traffic senior‑friendly.