The DGT is getting tougher! New measures for drivers over 70

Ageing usually brings a gradual and subtle decline in strength, coordination, reaction time, concentration, eyesight and hearing, directly affecting the ability to drive, not to mention that an older person has less energy and tires more quickly than a young person.

That is why the DGT and Pere Navarro, Director General of Traffic, have expressed their concerns about the abilities of people aged 65 who wish to keep their driving licence. They have announced new measures for this segment of the population, which will review both the time limits and the psychophysical tests when renewing the driving licence for drivers over 65, since the accident rate starts to rise after 70 and increases more rapidly after 80.

Everything points to these measures coming into force at the beginning of 2024, but the DGT is rushing to implement them as soon as possible. The previous regulation required drivers over 65 to renew their licence every 5 years. Now the DGT is toughening up on this issue, requiring drivers over 70 to renew their licence every 2 years, as well as undergoing various important medical and psychotechnical examinations.

The Deputy Director General of Road Safety Training and Education of the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), María José Aparicio, has acknowledged that “we know we will have to reduce the validity periods”. As the deputy director points out: “30% of those killed in road accidents in the European Union are over 65 (in Spain it is 28%). This figure is repeated in every country and rises to 50% when we speak of pedestrians or cyclists killed.”

Despite all this data, in Spain there is still no regulation setting an age limit after which your driving licence ceases to be valid. However, until now the DGT maintained the renewal period for driving licences at 3 years for car, motorcycle and moped licences (AM, A1, A2, A, B) and at 5 years for professional bus and lorry licences (C, C1, D, D1, EC, EC1, ED, ED1…).

New medical tests and shorter renewal periods

With the new measures, the DGT aims to prevent the negative effects that ageing has on driving. Drivers over 65 will have to take and pass a series of medical tests before renewing their driving licence. With this measure the DGT hopes to reduce the number of accidents by studying the driver’s physical fitness in detail. These measures do not seek to restrict the mobility of older people; they simply aim to promote their safety, mobility and independence.

With this examination carried out every two years, the DGT will be able to check whether ailments or losses of vision and reflexes pose a danger to safe driving. The medical examination will also check whether the driver has any stipulated illness that would lead to the withdrawal of the driving licence.

In short, people over 65 will have to undergo tests of:

• Psychotechnical assessment
• Stiffness in muscles and joints
• Study of hearing, reflex measurement
• Assessment of visual capacity
• Examination of medical history (anamnesis)
• Study of general blood pressure
• Pulse and cardio-pulmonary auscultation
• Assessment of the ability to drive in adverse weather conditions
• Difficulties experienced when driving in unfamiliar areas

More new measures, this time for the young

The DGT has approved new laws that do not only affect older people. One of the new laws to be introduced allows 16-year-old drivers to drive a microcar with a B1 driving licence.

With this new proposal, the DGT is getting closer to young drivers and promoting their mobility. It will no longer be necessary to wait until reaching the age of majority to drive a car. This law is expected to come into force at the beginning of 2024 and covers all vehicles weighing no more than 400 kg and with a maximum power of 15 kW.