Driving from 75 years of age, a risk factor?

A Portuguese civic platform has once again placed the possibility of withdrawing driving licenses from the elderly at the center of the debate. In the case of Portugal, the proposal (not yet debated in the political sphere) advocates for the preventive withdrawal of driving licenses from all people over 75 years of age, since, according to various medical studies, from this age onwards there may be cognitive deterioration that hinders the concentration and reflexes necessary to be behind the wheel. For the moment, this request is in the signature collection phase, but it has generated an important debate and reflection process around up to what age people can continue driving.

This Portuguese platform's proposal will not have any possible legislative path, as the different European administrations have been working for years on the harmonization of traffic codes in all EU countries, as well as their associates. So far, the European Parliament has never officially addressed this issue, and neither the European Commission nor the European Council have expressed any concern about those over 65 who remain active behind the wheel, as accident statistics show that this is not a particularly relevant group nor does it constitute a risk group for the rest of society.

Until when can we drive?

Driving in old age and the limits for people who want to get behind the wheel is one of the great taboo subjects of our society. At this point, everyone knows that drivers lose physical faculties with the passage of years and that, from a certain point onwards, it is preferable for an elderly person to stop driving. To this biological reality must be added a social one: Western societies are getting older and older due to low birth rates and increased life expectancy of citizens, which will lead to a growing proportion of elderly drivers.

Currently, car and motorcycle drivers in Spain must renew their driving license every five years from the age of 65, or every three years in the case of heavy vehicles. The debate about the advisability of the current model has been opened by the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) itself, led by the Deputy Director of Road Education and Training, María José Aparicio, who has announced that the DGT is studying reducing the renewal period for driving licenses for people over 65 years of age, a measure that is part of the new Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030.

Are elderly people a danger behind the wheel?

A study from the University of Granada published this autumn suggests that the two groups that cause the most collateral victims in the event of a traffic accident are men under 25 years of age and those over 65. In the case of young men, it is clear that accidents are associated with reckless driving, but in the case of men over 65, the causes must be sought in a loss of hearing and visual acuity, as well as an increase in reaction time.

Does this mean that all people over 65 – especially men – are a real danger to other drivers? Not necessarily, but a study by the road safety foundation Fesvial also points out that drivers over 65 are much more prone to running a stop or yield sign, and that the risk of side impact or pedestrian collision is much higher than in other age groups. However, not everything is negative: older drivers also respect speed limits more and commit far fewer infractions related to distractions, such as looking at their mobile phone while driving.

Experts also warn about the risks involved in grouping all drivers over 65 years of age into a single category, as physical abilities and visual speed, as well as the capacity to respond to stimuli, are very different in a 66-year-old person and a 90-year-old person, to give just one example. Results can also vary greatly within the same age group, and it is important to realize that our population is living longer and longer and reaching old age in better condition than in previous generations, which is why experts point out that a much deeper assessment of a person's physical and psychotechnical condition is needed, at least more so than just their age. experts suggest that a much deeper assessment of a person's physical and psychotechnical condition is needed, at least more so than just their age.

Indeed, the physical tests and medical examinations that drivers undergo when renewing their licenses are currently exactly the same for a 28-year-old young person and a 90-year-old person, and most studies conducted by various insurance companies indicate that they are not particularly difficult tests, as 98% of drivers who take the exams and psychotechnical tests pass them. The DGT's idea is to shorten the renewal period for licenses for people over 65 years of age, and to tighten the requirements and content. In other words, the DGT has already opened the door to the possibility of preparing specific tests for older drivers, in order to assess their real physical condition and evaluate with more indicators whether that person can or cannot continue driving a vehicle. It is very likely that this reform of renewing the license every two years for drivers over 70 years of age will become a reality before 2030.

Finally, it should also be mentioned that projections from the National Statistics Institute (INE) for the year 2068 indicate that more than 30% of the Spanish population will be over 65 years of age, and that this demographic aging could translate into an increase in accidents and fatalities on the roads.