There will be no specific validity restriction on driving licenses for the over-70s in Europe. They will also not undergo mandatory medical checks to renew their driving licenses. European mobility ministers in Brussels agreed on this.

Europe thus leaves each member state free to decide on any shorter period of validity of driving licenses for car drivers from a certain age, as well as the conditions for their renewal. Besides, driving permits from 17 years old are also on the way, although subject to adult supervision.

‘Role for the doctor’

In the spring, the European Commission proposed imposing a driving license validity limit from the age of 70. The proposal came as driving skills decline later in life and as the proportion of over-65s in fatalities among car drivers and passengers is increasing.

That proposal, which includes a compulsory medical check-up or self-assessment questionnaire, has now been consigned to the wastebasket. Belgian Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) is pleased with the decision.

Older drivers “are naturally more cautious, cover shorter distances, mostly during the day, and on roads they know well,” he says. “The assessment of their fitness to drive should be approached differently, especially in consultation with their family doctor.”

At the driving fitness center CARA, a multidisciplinary department of Vias, you can also undergo a test to see if you can still safely participate in traffic.

Driving license in bank card model

Furthermore, Ministers also agreed to extend the administrative validity of driving licenses from 10 to 15 years. They further decided to introduce the digital driving license, available on smartphones, as a standard. That measure would take effect by 2030.

However, the physical driving license, both the paper and the bank card models, will remain valid. From 2033, the European driving license in the bank card model will become compulsory, and the paper version will disappear.

Driving license at 17

There will also be a new regime for young car drivers. They would be able to obtain a driving license as early as 17, although with mandatory accompanied driving until the age of 18. This goes beyond the current Belgian system, where young people must wait until their 18th birthday to take their driving test.

Under the European system, 17-year-olds would also already be allowed to drive abroad, while under the Belgian system, they can only drive on domestic roads with their provisional driving license and guide.

The Ministers also agreed to do more to combat impunity for non-EU drivers. They can already be penalized for eight of the most common offenses. Many offenses, such as dangerous overtaking, not keeping a safe distance, or hit-and-run crimes, are now being added.

Member states will also be required to issue penalty letters and follow-up documents in the language used by the offender from a member state.

Around 20 000 people die each year in road accidents in the EU.

Gilkinet is generally satisfied with the progress that can be made on road safety and mobility within Europe with these measures. However, he believes the need to harmonize speed limits across the EU should be back on the table.