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Beginners to drive only up to 90 km/h and not at night, regular tests for drivers over 60 and an additional license for SUVs: these are some of the ideas for new rules for drivers in the EU.
The text was republished by Deutsche Welle.
At the beginning of May 2023, the European Commission (EC) presented plans for the reform of driver’s licenses. With it, many rules are expected to become valid throughout the EU – for example, accompanied driving for young drivers, which is not yet allowed everywhere in the Community. In addition, people over the age of 70 will have to regularly pass driving tests, explains the German public legal media ARD in its publication.
Now the transport committee of the European Parliament has also spoken on the subject. From her comes the insistence on further changes and more specifically – on “drastically stricter rules”, which were not foreseen by the draft law of the EC.
Stricter rules for young and elderly drivers
For example, the transport commission proposes that young drivers can drive at a maximum of 90 km/h. Also, they should be banned from driving at night. The Bulgarian Parliament adopted such a change in the Road Traffic Act recently – it includes a ban on driving a car by a young driver between 10pm and 6am. Another idea of the European transport commission is that after the age of 60, the driver’s license should be valid for 7 years instead of 10. And drivers over 60 should take exams every 7 years.
According to Karima Deli, the chairwoman of the EP transport committee, it is important to have reforms not only in terms of car traffic, but also to ensure the safety of those most at risk of accidents on the road – for example cyclists. According to Deli, who is from the Greens, driving courses should also focus on this, ARD points out. “There are still too many risks associated with commuting to work by bicycle. Or with letting your children cycle to school alone,” Deli told the German public-law media. The new reform will pay attention to this issue as well.
It shouldn’t get any harder
Some politicians have criticized some of the new proposals. Jan-Christophe Hoitien warns, for example, that the idea of different driving licenses for SUVs is problematic. People who want to drive cars that weigh more than 1,800 kg will need to get a separate driving license called “B+”. It will be possible to obtain it only after the age of 21, ARD explains.
German MEP Jens Giesecke calls the new proposals absurd. “I find it particularly adventurous the proposal that driving instructors should be obliged to show alternatives to the car, namely train and bus travel. Frankly, it is far from any reality,” says Gieseke.
Will the proposals not improve road safety?
Thomas Rudner, a member of the European Parliament’s transport committee, also has reservations about the proposals: “The green proposals will not have a particular effect on increasing road safety.” According to him, in addition, all drivers over 60 years of age cannot be put under a common denominator and it can be claimed that they all pose a safety risk. He is convinced that the Europeans will not welcome the idea of the seven-year validity of the driver’s license for over 60-year-olds.
In the coming weeks, other ideas for driver’s license reform will be discussed in the EP. The legislative process is still in its infancy. It is unlikely that all the proposals for bans and other ideas will remain in the bill.
The column “Analyses” presents different points of view, the opinions expressed do not necessarily coincide with the editorial position of “Dnevnik”.
