The European Commission is working on an update to driving license rules, introducing a reformed single digital license and enhanced checks to tackle cross-border infringements.
On March 1, the European Commission presented a series of proposals aimed at modernizing driving licenses and improving road safety. Among them, the establishment of a common digital license for all Member States of the European Union, for better control of cross-border offences. Explanations.
As part of a ‘Vision Zero’ program to reduce the number of road deaths to zero by 2050, the EU is trying to improve the very poor road safety figures. According to her, this would require a reform of the driving license.
Indeed, Europe wants to strengthen collaboration between member states by establishing a common digital driving licence. This would be “a world first” according to the press release from the European Commission. Easier to replace, renew or exchange, thanks to online procedures on a dedicated portal, this single permit would also be a way of combating cross-border infringements.
The end of impunity?
If the cooperation between bordering countries has already been improved for a few years thanks to dematerialized files, it still has some shortcomings. The European Commission specifies that in 2019, around 40% of cross-border infringements were committed with complete impunity, either because the perpetrator of the infringement was not identified or because the payment was not executed. . The arrival of an online European license could make things easier. Ditto for drivers, who would have a direct portal bringing together the different traffic rules of member countries and a centralized fine payment system.
Moreover, the current legislation only takes into account certain offenses today, the most frequent and flagrant such as speeding or drunk driving. This upgrading of the driving license would be an opportunity to extend the scope of cross-border offenses taken into account, with other faults such as driving in the wrong direction, dangerous parking, crossing a white line or even the use of an overloaded vehicle.
Today, the cross-border offenses taken into account are the most frequent and the most flagrant, such as speeding.
The most serious offenses resulting in disqualification from driving in one country could also be extended to EU level thanks to this common licence. Indeed, today, when a serious offense leads to a disqualification from driving, this cannot be applied at EU level if the driver committed the offense in a Member State other than that who issued his driver’s license. An end to impunity, in a way.
Revised training and legislation
Last year, more than 20,000 people lost their lives on European roads. The majority of the victims were pedestrians, cyclists and users of scooters and motorcycles. The European Union therefore hopes to improve training with the introduction of rules already in place in certain countries: probationary period of two years after passing the driving license examination with zero tolerance for driving in a state of drunkenness, passage of the license from 17 years with the possibility of accompanied driving, adaptation of the training with consideration of vulnerable users, more targeted assessment of medical fitness, etc.
In addition, the EU also wants to provide better training on the transition to “zero-emission vehicles”. This would involve learning new knowledge about the most recent technologies, such as electric vehicles and their driving aids, but also about the impact of the way of driving on CO2 emissions. The Commission also proposes to revise upwards the authorized mass of private vehicles, since electrified vehicles are generally heavier than thermal vehicles.
All these proposals are currently under study, and will have to be examined by the European Parliament and the Council before possible application. But it could run into difficulties since each country has its own traffic rules, and it would be difficult to standardize them.
Photos : DR.
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