EEC Proposes Mandatory Driving Tests for Seniors, Baden-Württemberg Says No

The EU Commission wants to revise the current driving license guidelines. This means that seniors over 70 should take a driving test every five years. In Baden-Württemberg, this draft law met with resistance.

The EU Commission wants to improve road safety. That is why seniors over the age of 70 should take a driving test. The draft law actually envisages increasing the validity of driving licenses from ten to 15 years across the EU. At the same time, senior citizens should have their fitness to drive checked every five years. The state government in Baden-Württemberg speaks of “age discrimination” and rejects it.

EU Commission wants driver’s license check for seniors – state government of Baden-Württemberg opposes

The draft met with resistance, especially in Baden-Württemberg. As reported by “StZ”, Minister of Transport Winfried Hermann (Greens) is in favor of voluntary tests and driver safety training for seniors over 70. He also considers advice through health checks to be important for older drivers.

The transport spokesman for the CDU parliamentary group, Thomas Dörflinger, is also against driving tests for seniors. “On the one hand, there are discussions in Germany about raising the statutory retirement age towards 70 years. On the other hand, the fitness to drive of this age group is generally questioned. It borders on age discrimination,” he says.

The opposition faction also relies on the voluntary nature and personal responsibility of senior citizens

The opposition faction, i.e. SPD, FDP and AfD, are also against mandatory driving tests. The faction also relies on voluntariness. Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) says: “Many older people are very experienced, careful drivers. I’m clearly counting on personal responsibility here. I reject mandatory health tests, such as the EU has in mind.”

But as an EU member state, can Germany simply refuse the mandatory tests? According to the EU draft law, it should be up to the member states themselves whether to implement the draft and whether tests are mandatory or voluntary.

Seniors cause fewer but more serious accidents

But why does this topic keep coming up? The background to the debate is the serious accidents that seniors cause. According to SWR, older people are less likely to be involved in traffic accidents than younger people, but the accidents that seniors cause are usually more serious. Despite that, the The fitness to drive of seniors in Germany is currently not regularly checked, as also reported by “merkur.de”. Anyone who has passed their driver’s license test usually receives a lifetime driver’s license.

The new regulations that the EU is planning for 2023 will not only affect seniors. Learner drivers also have to adapt to changes, as echo24.de already reported.