According to Postal, the European Union (EU) is preparing to implement new rules on driving licences, aimed at improving road safety across Europe.

One of the significant changes is the extension of the validity period of driving licences from 10 to 15 years. This measure aims to modernise driving policies and will be implemented in all member countries, including Portugal, to promote safety on European roads.

In addition to the impact on safety, the change will have economic consequences, reducing the frequency of renewal rates to every 15 years instead of every 10 years as previously.

The EU legislative proposal is not limited to extending the validity period for category A and B driving licences, which include motorcycles, cars, agricultural machinery and small vans. For heavy goods vehicles, buses and trucks, driving licences will have to be renewed every five years. New methods for assessing the physical and mental fitness of drivers have also been approved, including a mechanism for self-assessment of vision and cardiovascular system as part of the renewal process.

MEPs stress the importance of drivers assessing their own fitness and suggest that Member States consider replacing self-assessment with a full medical examination to assess vision and cardiovascular fitness. MEPs also urge governments to raise public awareness of the physical and mental signs that can affect driving safety.

In Portugal, the requirements for renewing a driving licence vary: drivers of light vehicles must present a medical certificate at the age of 60, while drivers of heavy vehicles must do so before the age of 50. These practices vary considerably between EU countries.

The latest data on road accidents in the EU shows that more than 20,000 people lost their lives in 2022, representing a 4% increase compared to the previous year. Despite a 9% reduction compared to the pre-pandemic period, the European Commission highlights that accidents are not decreasing at the desired rate, underlining the urgency of further measures to improve road safety across the EU.

“Today, the European Parliament has the opportunity to improve road safety in Europe and move closer to the goal of zero road deaths by 2050, as well as creating a stronger framework to protect everyone from road accidents,” said Karima Deli, the European Parliament rapporteur for the French Greens Group, in February.