Drivers who commit serious traffic offences in EU will soon face bloc-wide ban
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The European Parliament has approved new legislation on traffic and driving. Among other changes, drivers who commit serious traffic offences in one EU country could face a driving ban in all 27 EU countries.
European Parliament approves new driving laws
The European Parliament has voted through changes to the EU driving licence rules. The new legislation aims to "contribute to road safety and reduce collisions” - around 20.000 lives are lost across Europe each year due to road accidents. One update to rules is the digital driving licence, which will become the main licence format in the EU by 2030, and will be accessible by mobile phone.
Other changes include introducing new requirements for driving tests, including knowledge on blind spots, opening doors safely and dangers of using phones while driving, as well as medical checks before issuing driving licences to check eyesight and cardiovascular health.
Additionally, driving licences for both motorcycles and cars will now be valid for 15 years instead of 10, and new drivers will face a probationary period of at least two years. Germany already has a probationary period of two years for novice drivers.
Bloc-wide ban for drivers with severe traffic offences
After an agreement between the European Parliament and member states in April this year, the EU has officially approved new rules that would ban drivers who commit serious traffic offences, such as driving under the influence, extreme speeding, or involvement in a fatal road accident, from driving across the whole bloc.
Under the new rules, when a driver is found committing a serious driving offence in an EU country, the country where the offence was committed (the “offence state”) will be obliged to notify the country where the licence was issued (the “issuance state”) immediately, which will then impose a driving ban across the bloc.
“Today is an important step forward in improving road safety. By introducing clearer and more timely criteria for suspending driving privileges in cases of serious violations, it helps protect not only responsible drivers but the entire community,” European Parliament rapporteur Matteo Ricci said in a press release.
“A stronger, more effective system of monitoring and enforcement will help prevent accidents and save lives.” EU countries will have three years to transpose all new rules into national law.