Medical check-ups for drivers: Parliament holds EU countries responsible. In this canton the search for accommodation is particularly bad – a self-experiment

The EU Parliament wants to leave it to the EU states whether they want to introduce mandatory periodic health checks for drivers.

A majority of MPs were in favor of national governments deciding whether to require regular medical tests from driving license holders in the future, parliament announced on Wednesday. Hearing and vision tests could then supplement a self-assessment of driving license holders.

The medical checks are being scrutinized across party lines, especially by German parliamentarians. However, they already exist in other EU countries.

The EU countries have already determined their position for the upcoming final rounds of negotiations on the new rules and will not speak out in favor of mandatory testing.

The revision of the rules is based on a proposal from the European Commission that was presented in March last year. The proposals sparked a debate about whether the elderly pose a risk in road traffic.

The studies are only part of the project. It also concerns, among other things, whether accompanied driving from the age of 17 should be possible in the future throughout the EU.

In Strasbourg, Parliament also spoke in favor of better preparation of drivers for real driving situations. The relevant proposals include making driving in snow and slippery conditions and the safe use of telephones while driving part of the driving test. In the future, a digital driver’s license will also be available on mobile phones.

The new requirements should make road traffic safer and fewer people die in accidents. According to EU figures, more than 20,000 people die on the roads in the European Union every year.

The number of road deaths should actually be halved by 2030. However, the development does not currently look like this: after a significant drop during the corona pandemic, the number of deaths has recently risen again. (saw/sda/dpa)