More control over older driver
The European Union has drawn up new guidelines for driving licences. It states, among other things, that novice drivers may not have a drop of alcohol and that the elderly must renew their driving license more often.
The EU is planning some driving license reforms, which should, among other things, improve road safety. In the European Commission’s draft law, driving licenses will be valid for 15 years throughout the EU in the near future instead of 10 years now. However, the 15-year validity period should not apply to motorists aged 70 and over. They will then only receive driving licenses that are valid for 5 years. This should make it possible to regularly check the fitness of seniors to drive. In the Netherlands, this is now checked from the age of 75 and a driving license is then only valid for 5 years, but the requirements are not so strict in all EU countries.
The bill also states that novice drivers may not have a drop of alcohol. A similar rule already applies in the Netherlands, but it has not yet been laid down in this way everywhere in the EU. Incidentally, the EU bill states that this zero tolerancepolicy for two years. In the Netherlands this is already for a period of five years, after which you are no longer a ‘starting driver’ here. Finally, according to the European Commission, the new driving licenses must become digital, so that the renewal can also be handled online.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl