Brussels (ots) – In order to reduce the high number of road deaths, the EU Commission has proposed a revision of the driving license directive. The new EU driving license is intended to improve road safety, ensure freedom of movement, harmonize requirements and promote the green and digital transition in the EU. With the help of stricter requirements for the issuance and renewal of driving licenses, the goal of zero road deaths in the EU by 2050 should be achieved. Drivers should prove that they are fit to drive when their driving license is issued or every 15 years when it is renewed.
The European Parliament spoke out against the introduction of compulsory medical checks in today’s plenary session. EAC European Automobile Clubs welcomes this decision.
“Mandatory health checks primarily mean more bureaucracy rather than more road safety. Studies show that age-based fitness to drive checks are not an effective tool for significantly reducing serious traffic accidents by older drivers,” explains EAC President Holger Küster.
Although older drivers are more often to blame when they are involved in accidents, compared to their share of the total population, older people are less likely to be involved in accidents and are risk-conscious road users. Instead of mandatory fitness to drive tests, voluntary refresher courses, accompanying advice measures, feedback trips and awareness campaigns should be promoted and the measures that work in the respective Member States should be adhered to.
“We are looking forward to the upcoming trilogue negotiations. The EU Commission has not proposed any mandatory health checks; the member states want to be able to decide for themselves. We have demanded that the member states be able to determine individually whether and which measures should be introduced on a mandatory or voluntary basis, and we hope so that this is also implemented, says Holger Küster.
From the EAC’s perspective, the Europe-wide introduction of accompanied driving makes an enormous contribution to improving road safety. Accompanied driving is a real success model from which novice drivers can benefit enormously and gain important driving experience. From the EAC’s point of view, driving training and driving experience are more important for safe participation in road traffic than blanket age limits.
At the beginning of the negotiations for a new EU driving license directive, the EAC had demanded that all measures to check fitness to drive should be the responsibility of the member states and that novice drivers and senior citizens should not be disproportionately restricted and discriminated against. Whether it’s a road trip, family vacation, doctor’s visit, shopping in the supermarket, the daily drive to work or daycare – the car is still indispensable for many people to meet their individual mobility needs.
“EAC European Automobile Clubs”
The EAC European Automobile Clubs interest group represents the interests of 3 million consumers towards European institutions and political actors. The EAC is committed to mobility that can be experienced without borders, to openness to technology, to the harmonization of traffic regulations, to climate- and socially fair mobility and to greater safety in road traffic.
Questions & Contact:
EAC European Automobile Clubs
Martin Felzen
Phone: +49 152 346 375 61
Email: filter@eaclubs.org
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