Brussels (ots) – The Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) in the EU Parliament today voted on its draft report on the EU Driving License Directive. The compromise was approved with a razor-thin majority of one vote.
Unlike the EU transport ministers, the majority of MPs on the Transport Committee voted in favor of legally mandatory medical checks on driving fitness when issuing and renewing driving licenses. This should apply to all driving license holders. In the future, drivers will have to prove every 15 years that they are physically and mentally fit to drive a motor vehicle. The period of validity can be shortened for drivers over 70 years of age.
For EAC President Holger Küster, this goes too far:
“Mandatory medical checks for everyone mean more unnecessary bureaucracy instead of more road safety. The calculation: If we discriminate against everyone, we don’t discriminate against anyone, it doesn’t work! We demand voluntary roadworthiness checks without fear of the driver’s license being revoked and will fight for practical regulations in the interests of the driver’s license holders .”
After all: Night driving bans and speed limits for novice drivers, a new SUV driving license and increasing the minimum age for certain driving license classes were rejected by the majority.
The EAC views the vote for a Europe-wide introduction of accompanied driving as positive: “Accompanimented driving is a real success model in Austria and Germany. Experienced drivers are safe drivers,” says EAC Vice President Günther Schweizer.
“We appeal to the MPs to be sensible and are open to sensible suggestions for more road safety. More personal responsibility – fewer bans,” says Küster.
The final vote in the plenary session of the European Parliament will follow in January 2024.
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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:
Martin Felzen
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E felt@eaclubs.org