Digital driving license: progress with hurdles
A digital driving license should be available in all EU member states by the end of 2030. It will be provided via the “European Digital Identity Wallet” – an app that can store other identification documents in addition to the driving license. The classic plastic card will remain valid.
The aim is to simplify administration, speed up traffic checks and make it easy to deal with loss or theft. In practice, however, there are considerable problems – especially in Germany. There is a lack of digital infrastructure and the use of the eID function of the ID card, which is essential for activating the digital driving license.
Data protection and system stability also raise questions. It has not yet been conclusively clarified who has access to the stored data and how misuse is to be prevented. Nationwide use still appears to be a vision of the future.
Uniform points system and Europe-wide driving bans
One of the most serious changes concerns the points system: what was previously regulated nationally is to apply in all EU countries in future. Traffic violations and driving bans are to be recognized throughout Europe. Anyone who loses their driving license in Spain, for example, will no longer be allowed to drive in Germany.
Points from abroad will be stored in the digital driving license and can no longer be circumvented – for example, by obtaining a driving license in another EU country. This practice of so-called “driving license tourists” should therefore be a thing of the past.
The aim is to improve road safety through a uniform comparison of data within the EU.
Validity of driving licenses: standardization planned
The new driving license directive also regulates the duration of validity:
- Classes A and B (motorcycle, car): 15 years
- Classes C and D (truck, bus): 5 years
Member states may optionally limit driving licenses to 10 years if they are also used as an identity document. From the age of 65, shorter validity periods can be introduced, but this is left to the countries.
Stricter probationary period: new rules for all driving license categories
In future, a two-year probationary period will begin with every newly acquired driving license category – regardless of previous driving licenses. This applies to all categories, such as AM, A1, A2, A, L or T.
Example: Anyone who has held a car driver’s license for years and is now obtaining a motorcycle license will undergo a new probationary period for the motorcycle category. This applies exclusively to the new category – however, violations may result in sanctions that can affect the entire driving license system.
Motorcyclists in the graduated model (e.g. from A1 to A2 to A) must therefore complete this probationary period again each time they move up. In practice, this could theoretically lead to a total duration of four years under probationary conditions.
Another new feature is the planned blood alcohol limit of 0.2, which is effectively equivalent to a ban on alcohol. Violations of traffic regulations, such as using a cell phone at the wheel or not wearing a seatbelt, will be punished much more severely during the probationary period.
Class B: increase in the maximum permissible mass
Another change concerns the category B car driving license. The maximum permissible mass has been raised to 4.25 tons – previously the limit was 3.5 tons. Drivers of larger motorhomes and electric vans in particular will benefit from this.
Prerequisite: at least two years of driving experience. For vehicles with a combustion engine, additional training or a test is required; this obligation does not apply to electric vehicles. The reason for this distinction remains unclear.
Under certain conditions, vehicles up to 5 tons total mass may even be driven with a trailer – which should be of particular interest to craft businesses or smaller logistics companies.
Professional drivers: get behind the wheel earlier
To counteract the shortage of drivers, the minimum age for driving licenses for heavy commercial vehicles is being lowered:
- Truck (category C): from the age of 18
- Bus (category D): from the age of 21
The prerequisite in each case is a professional driver qualification that goes beyond the actual driving license and includes additional training and tests. Without this qualification, the previous age limits continue to apply.
In addition, accompanied driving from the age of 17 will be introduced throughout the EU – including for heavy vehicles.
Senior citizens at the wheel: different regulations in the EU
Contrary to some speculation, the EU does not prescribe mandatory health tests for senior citizens. However, the member states are allowed to introduce their own regulations.
Examples of national regulations:
- Italy: First examination from the age of 50
- Portugal: Compulsory from 50, increasingly shorter intervals
- Spain: Every five years from 65
- Netherlands: Every five years from 75
- Switzerland: Every two years from 75
- Hungary: Shortened validity from 60, medical examinations every two years from 70
In Germany, only a self-assessment form is planned so far. Incorrect information could have legal consequences.
Modernization of driver training
The new driving license directive also addresses training: More practical relevance and safety awareness should better prepare novice drivers. Key new content:
- Dealing with cell phone use at the wheel
- Driving in ice and snow
- Behavior in blind spots
- Use of assistance systems
- Consideration for cyclists and pedestrians
- Environmentally friendly driving
- The so-called “Dutch grip” for safe door opening
The long-term goal: “Vision Zero”, i.e. no road deaths by 2050 – an ambitious goal, even if it is unlikely to be fully achievable in practice.
Conclusion: Major reform with many construction sites
The EU’s fourth driver’s license directive brings numerous changes – from digitalization and new regulations for novice drivers to uniform sanctions. However, many details are still open, and national implementation may vary until 2029. One thing is clear: a new era in road traffic is beginning for millions of car drivers, motorcyclists and professional drivers.
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