Important changes for drivers in the EU. The new regulations will introduce serious restrictions. Who will they hit?

In September, the proposed changes were discussed. Currently, committee members are submitting any amendments. The changes will be put to a vote in December 2023. However, it is already known that many provisions may not ultimately come into force due to a number of controversies. Who will be most affected by the new regulations?

Important changes for millions of drivers in the EU. They will face more stringent regulations

The main objective of the fourth EU directive is to increase road safety and further reduce the number of road accident fatalities. According to the information included in the justification for the proposed directive, by 2050 it intends to achieve zero fatal accidents in all types of transport. After analyzing the data related to fatalities, the applicants decided on changes to the regulations that will most affect older people and novice drivers.

Before the end of the year, changes proposed by members of the EU Transport Committee must be discussed and voted on in the Transport Committee. The amendments submitted included, among others:

• division of the category B driving license into two different categories: B and B+ (this provision is intended to “limit the expansion of SUVs”. It assumes that a standard B driving license would be valid only for vehicles with a GVW of up to 1.8 tons. After two years, he could expand his rights to the B+ category by passing another course and an exam, which would allow driving a vehicle with a GVW of up to 3.5 tons. This is one of the most controversial amendments submitted);
• introduction of additional tests for older drivers (according to the regulations, all member states would introduce mandatory medical examinations for drivers over 70 years of age at a maximum every 5 years. The amendments also included the idea of ​​introducing mandatory medical examinations for 60-year-olds, at a maximum every 7 years, and for 80-year-olds every 2 years);
• imposing restrictions on new drivers (the regulation assumes that novice drivers during their trial period would be able to drive only from 6 a.m. to midnight. The justification for introducing the amendment was to counteract the phenomenon of young drivers driving under the influence of alcohol. According to the EU applicants, young people repeat this practice after night parties. ).

Digital driving license for EU drivers. One central database

In addition to significant restrictions related to the directive, it is planned to introduce a digital document that would be respected throughout the European Union. Information about drivers from Europe would be in one central database. This would prevent, among other things, illegal actions of drivers who, for example, have been temporarily deprived of a document in Poland and are trying to obtain it in another Member State. Moreover, it would also mean the introduction of an EU penalty point scale and simplification of examination procedures – a driver who passed the theoretical examination in Poland could take the practical examination, e.g. in Germany.