Europe's roads are to be made safer, but at what cost?
A draft EU law on driving licenses hits pensioners hard.
Many scold - including the ADAC.
Hamburg - In the future, the roadworthiness of drivers over 70 years of age will be checked every five years throughout the EU and the age limit for more medical examinations will be raised from 50 to 70 years.
This emerges from a proposal by the EU Commission and would affect millions of pensioners in Europe.
The new regulations, together with numerous other innovations in the field of driving licenses, are intended to ensure that there will be no more road fatalities in the EU by 2050, and that the number will be halved by 2030.
For comparison: In 2022, 20,600 people lost their lives on the roads.
More than in the pandemic years 2020 and 2021. The EU states and the European Parliament must now negotiate the new plans.
The announcement always caused a stir.
Driving license in retirement - and other plans of the EU:
In the future, drivers should be able to show their driver's license on their cell phone during traffic checks or when renting a car.
In the training of novice drivers, climate-friendly driving should take up more space in the future.
Young people should already be able to get their driver's license at the age of 17 and gain experience through accompanied driving.
Traffic offenders should be able to be more easily punished in other EU countries.
ADAC criticizes EU plans for pension driver's license: "Not proportionate"
According to Welt
, Thomas Lutze from the left grumbles
: "This is nothing more than age discrimination." He suggests, on the other hand, that "all road users with a driver's license from the age of 50 regularly have their fitness to drive examined and advised by their family doctor".
The Union continues to rely on "the personal responsibility of drivers".
And the Greens think "it's good that the EU Commission is taking the next step in the direction of road safety and roadworthiness", as traffic politician Swantje Michaelsen announced.
According to the report, the SPD sees it similarly.
It is still unclear when, where and how the plans are to be implemented - and what such a check could look like.
The bill cites refresher courses and training as examples.
The ADAC criticizes this and declares the announced reforms to be "not proportionate".
Older road users in particular are usually “characterized by a driving style that is adapted to the situation and anticipatory driving.
They avoid risky manoeuvres”.
Although there may be a drop in performance with increasing age, the accident risk of older drivers is not exceptionally high, according to the ADAC.
The association “rejects the planned measures that relate to a certain age”.
Rather, he demands: "If health problems are identified, a discussion with the doctor treating you should be sought in order to obtain an assessment of your own fitness to drive and, if necessary, to initiate further measures - this
applies to all ages.”
“As soon as you retire, the rag is gone”
Many people on social networks have little understanding for the EU threat: "It's funny that I'm supposed to work until I'm 70 and as soon as I'm not supposed to work anymore, I'm not allowed to drive a car anymore," reads a comment on Twitter.
Another fears: "As soon as you retire, the rag is gone." "Age discrimination," some complain and turn to the EU with criticism: "Do they have nothing else to do in the EU than just pronounce bans?"
The BAGSO, which by definition represents the interests of the older generations in Germany as a federal working group of senior citizens' organizations, did not want to comment on
IPPEN.MEDIA
's request .
