It’s been talked about for a long time, but it seems that the European Parliament is once again considering introducing mandatory health checks every 15 years for drivers and motorcyclists, and every 5 years for people over 70.
The vote will take place today in the European Parliament and is being put forward by Karima Delli, MEP for European Ecology, supported by car accident survivor and athlete Pauline Déroulède.
Karima Delli is the same MEP who, in 2023, proposed lower speed limits for motorcycles, a measure that was widely ridiculed by motorcyclists and motorcycle groups.
Déroulède, a successful tennis player, lost her leg after an elderly driver hit her while she was on the sidewalk, after the driver mistook the car’s brake for the accelerator. Déroulède is currently a member of the French Paralympic wheelchair tennis team and is campaigning for elderly drivers to be more controlled.
The proposed test will assess the driver’s vision, hearing and reflexes, and the doctor can withdraw the driver’s license if he considers that he does not meet the required standards.