In Austria, waves are again rising around a planned EU directive for more safety in car traffic. This includes regular testing of the driving skills of elderly people. The European Commission had already presented its proposal in March. Corresponding proposals have now been submitted to the responsible committee of the EU Parliament – and this has once again sparked anger among local politicians and seniors’ representatives.
The Commission’s proposal required people over 70 to either complete a self-assessment of their driving skills or undergo a medical examination every five years. The rapporteur now proposes to extend driving licenses after a medical examination for only seven years for the over-60s, only five years for the over-70s and only two years for the over-80s.
Strong rejection in Austria
Although such more or less absurd rules have been common in some EU countries for a long time, they are widely rejected in Austria. “I don’t think much about these ideas being discussed here in the EU Parliament. These rules are impractical and unwise,” said Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens). “There is the Commission proposal, which we have spoken out very, very clearly against,” she said on the sidelines of a media event on Monday. “Austria, together with other Member States, has spoken out against limiting the validity of a driving license based on age,” the minister explains.
She “fully supports the goal of greater road safety”. But this must be done ‘data-supported and evidence-based’. “And we simply don’t see in the accident statistics that the frequency of accidents at this age increases so significantly,” says Gewessler. “We already have good initiatives here in Austria, for example in providing advice and self-evaluation to older road users. Seniors in our country also want to be mobile well and safely. We have to take that into account,” said the minister.
The pensioners’ association signals age discrimination
“This cannot be implemented in this form in Austria,” said the president of the Association of Pensioners, Peter Kostelka. “Regular mandatory health and fitness to drive examinations and driving license periods that become increasingly shorter as age increases are clear cases of age discrimination.” Ingrid Korosec, president of the Seniors Association, also “strictly” rejects the proposal. “It is a misconception that older people pose a greater safety risk on the road,” says Korosec.
There was also rejection by the ÖVP. “Our negotiating goal is that ultimately there will be a different law on the table than what we have now,” explains ÖVP MEP Barbara Thaler. “This proposal would be an attack on motorized, individual mobility of people and is completely excluded,” agrees ÖVP transport spokesperson Andreas Ottenschläger.
SPÖ European spokesperson Jörg Leichtfried is also against automatic fitness to drive checks as proposed by both the Commission and the rapporteur: “The Austrian rules are better: according to them there is a fitness to drive check if there is a specific reason. ”
Schieder: Checks “not productive”
His party colleague and SPÖ-EU delegation leader Andreas Schieder expresses himself more nuanced. He also criticizes automatic checks from a certain age as “ineffective and discriminatory”, and “age-related staggered speed limits” are “completely pointless”. However, Schieder welcomes the aim of the Commission proposal, which is to drastically reduce the number of road deaths. Among the positive measures, the MEP includes a “Europe-wide digital driving license” and a planned “revocation of driving licenses for speeders and drivers who drink alcohol”.
Criticism also came from the motoring club ARBÖ: “What is written here is far from reality,” said Secretary General Gerald Kumnig. “Under the guise of road safety, certain groups of people should simply be excluded from individual mobility. This is simply a path in the wrong direction and should not be implemented in this way.” Kumnig does not think the planned health checks and restrictions on driving licenses from the age of 60 are correct. “That is discriminatory. The birth certificate does not provide any information about fitness to drive. In addition, older drivers are often more defensive and cautious while driving.”
The proposal must now pass through the relevant transport committee, vote on it in the plenary of the EU Parliament and then negotiate with EU countries. “The discussion is far from over,” Gewessler said. The final legal text – as a directive it gives Member States some leeway in implementation – will likely deviate from the current model. “I do not assume that these sometimes strange suggestions will be reflected in the law. Rather, I am convinced that we will continue the existing and functioning regulations here. And thus improve road safety in a sensible way,” says Gewessler.
Source: Krone
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