By Andrie Daniel
Mandatory medical examinations for the issue and renewal of driving licences are included in the European Parliament’s new framework of rules, approved as part of the upgrade to road safety and the effort to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the EU road network.
As part of the new European regime, mandatory eyesight testing is also under consideration, to ensure driving ability is not compromised by reduced visual perception. The check also includes cardiovascular function tests.
Road deaths in the EU reached almost 20,000 in 2024 and the reform forms part of the Road Safety Package through which the EU aims to achieve the “Vision Zero” target of no deaths and serious injuries from road crashes by 2050.
The new provisions
The rules enter into force in the coming days. Member states will have three years to transpose the new provisions into national law and a further year to prepare their implementation. Among other things, they provide that:
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Driving licences for motorcycles and cars will be valid for 15 years. In countries where the licence also serves as an identity card, validity may be reduced to 10 years.
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Driving licences for lorries and buses will be valid for five years.
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Before a first licence is issued or when applying for renewal, drivers must undergo a medical examination that includes eyesight and cardiovascular health checks.
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There will be a probationary period of at least two years for novice drivers. Stricter rules and penalties will apply when driving under the influence of alcohol, not wearing a seatbelt, or not using child seats when children are in the vehicle.
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Young drivers will be able to obtain a car driving licence at 17, but may only drive under the supervision of an experienced driver until they turn 18.
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Test topics for learner drivers will include the risks of blind spots, how driver-assistance systems work, how to open vehicle doors safely, and the dangers of mobile-phone use while driving.
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A digital driving licence, available on mobile phones, will gradually become the primary form of licence.
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There will be information exchange among member states for drivers who have committed serious traffic offences.
Over-65s
Under the new framework, EU countries may also reduce the validity period of licences for drivers over 65 and require them to undergo more frequent medical checks or attend refresher courses. The new framework, however, leaves room for member-state choice, allowing them to replace checks with self-assessment forms or national evaluation systems.
Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, have already established stricter regimes, with drivers over 70 required to undergo assessments of mental and cognitive readiness to prove they can drive safely.
Politis spoke to Cypriot MEPs specifically regarding the stricter framework for older people and presents their views.
Respect and dignity
Loucas Fourlas said: “When we talk about the intention to make fitness-to-drive examinations mandatory for those reaching the age of 70, we must be especially careful. Road safety cannot and should not become a field of age discrimination or racism.”
Age alone, he stressed, is not an indicator of incapacity. “There are citizens aged 75 and 80 with full clarity, responsibility and experience behind the wheel. Therefore, the logic that everyone over 70 is considered dangerous is unfair and scientifically unfounded.”
On the other hand, he added, “we cannot ignore the reality that, as age advances, reactions, vision or hearing may be affected, factors that are critical for road safety. Therefore, re-examination of driving ability, provided it is carried out with respect and dignity, is logical and necessary. Not as a punishment, but as an act of care.”
The state, Mr Fourlas noted, “must ensure that this process is fair, objective and medically substantiated,” proposing that it should be offered free or at low cost.
No to social isolation
“The renewal of a driving licence must be done with a valid health certificate and with a substantive evaluation. Common sense, however,” said George Georgiou, “dictates that if we are talking about public health, such criteria should concern all of us. Not only specific age groups. Especially when we live in a Cyprus with inadequate public transport where the deprivation of a licence means confinement, social isolation, a burden on mental health and an increased risk of neglect. Additionally, in Cyprus many older people work or care for others, for example grandchildren, and need a vehicle to meet their needs.”
The Cyprus Third Age Observatory, he reminded, proposes actions that should be evaluated so that a balanced approach is achieved between road safety and the right of older people to autonomy. Among other things, it proposes the creation of standardised screening protocols (vision, hearing, cognitive and functional ability, etc.) through the establishment of specialised departments in public hospitals, prioritised appointments, and mobile units in rural areas to minimise inconvenience for older people.
Proportional restriction
Given that road safety is a top priority, the measures taken must be evidence-based and exclude any form of age discrimination, Michalis Hadjipantela said. “The European Parliament,” he noted, “has already rejected the Commission’s proposal to reduce the validity of licences for the elderly in order to avoid such discrimination. Studies from Sweden, a country with high levels of road safety, show there is no scientific evidence to support mandatory age-based medical checks,” he said. “Member states must have the freedom to decide appropriate measures to ensure road safety in their country. I believe in a targeted approach that examines specific medical conditions at all ages, such as epilepsy and cardiovascular problems. Mobility is a fundamental right linked to freedom of movement and participation in economic and social life. Any restriction must be proportionate, demonstrably necessary and not based on age stereotypes,” he concluded.
Yes to a mandatory test
“Older people,” said Geadis Geadi, “are beyond any doubt one of the most vulnerable groups of road users, for reasons different from other equally and perhaps more vulnerable groups prone to road collisions, such as young people.” As he explained, the often reduced reflexes of older people “put other road users at risk, with the most exposed being, for example, motorcyclists. In our country, a safeguard for these people’s fitness to drive is the obligation from age 70 and over to present a health certificate, with licences renewed every three years. However, this process is leaky, as it is an open secret that in many cases such certificates are issued by doctors summarily and without recipients being truly fit to drive safely. Therefore,” he concluded, “with safety as the compass and with no trace of ageism, a mandatory driving test for those reaching the age of 70 is a good solution.”