Get ready to say goodbye to your old pink license! The European Union is preparing to bring the driving license into the digital age. By 2030, your smartphone could well become your new key to the road. A revolution that promises to simplify drivers' lives, but also to improve road safety.
The European Union is preparing to to accelerate the modernization of the driving license. The European Parliament and the Member States have reached an agreement to introduce a digital driving license uniform across the EU by the end of 2030. This dematerialized version, accessible via a European digital wallet, promises to simplify the lives of drivers while strengthening road safety.
This new digital driving license will have the same legal value as its physical counterpart. Drivers will still be able to to request a paper version, but the objective is clearly to encourage the transition to all-digital.
A safer license that is better adapted to current challenges
The validity of the license will be set at 15 years, with the possibility for Member States to reduce this period for drivers over 65. This measure aims to regularly check the fitness of drivers, especially older ones, without imposing a strict age limit that could be perceived as discriminatory.
The harmonization of rules at European level does not stop there. New drivers will be subject to a probationary period of at least two years, during which stricter rules will apply, particularly with regard to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Member States are also encouraged to establish zero tolerance for these offenses.
Driver training will also be modernized. Learners will now have to be made aware of the dangers of using a phone while driving, the importance of the blind spot, and the specific features of assisted driving. These skills are essential at a time when vehicles are becoming increasingly technological.
To address the driver shortage in certain sectors, the minimum age for obtaining a heavy goods vehicle license will be lowered to 18, and to 21 for bus drivers. This measure comes with the possibility to start learning to drive from the age of 17, under the supervision of a qualified supervisor.
All these measures aim to facilitate free movement within the Union and reduce the number of victims on European roads, which still stands at around 20,000 per year. Member States will have four years to transpose these new rules into their national legislation once the agreement is formally approved.
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