The DGT toughens the requirements for drivers over 65 years old

Catalonia is an increasingly aging country. According to Idescat data, as of 2026, 20% of the Catalan population is over 65 years old, a figure that is surprising when compared to the 14% of the total that represents the school-age population. Catalans are living longer and better, as is also happening in the rest of Spain and Mediterranean countries, such as Greece, Italy, or Croatia, among others. In this regard, Idescat's projections for the year 2070 are devastating: if we continue with the current trend, Catalonia will reach the final stretch of the century with a population of about 9 million people, a third of whom will be over 65 years old.Aging and super-aging (i.e., the rate of people over 80 years old in a society) will modify the uses and services of Catalan society, with a logical increase in social and health services and medication expenses. Living longer and in better physical shape will also raise the average age of drivers on Catalan roads. Currently, there is no age limit to get behind the wheel, as current regulations establish that the physical condition and cognitive abilities of drivers are the determining factors for whether a person is fit to continue driving.Until this 2026, the DGT used to renew driving licenses for 10 years for people turning 65, but with the modification of the regulations that came into effect this year, people born between 1956 and 1961 who renew their driving license will have the validity of licenses AM, A1, A2, A, and B limited to a duration of 5 years, while those who renew professional driving licenses C, C1, D, D1, EC, ED, or ED1 will have their renewal limited to only 3 years of validity. With this reform, the DGT aims to detect timely processes of auditory or visual deterioration, as well as reflexes and cognitive capacity. At this point, it is worth remembering that most medical studies suggest that between 65 and 75 years old, there is an accelerated aging process that can lead to modifications in visual or auditory acuity within a few years, which justifies the regulatory reform promoted by the DGT.As for those over 70 years old, the regulations exempt them from paying renewal fees for their driving license, but they will have to pay the cost of the mandatory medical examination, which must determine if a person is capable of continuing to drive, regardless of their age. It is worth remembering that from the age of 70, the validity of the driving license is only 2 years, to ensure proper monitoring of the physical and cognitive abilities of people who wish to renew their license.