European Parliament backs new driving rules: licenses at 17 and suspensions valid across the EU

Brussels -Driving as early as 17, but accompanied by an experienced driver. The European Parliament has approved new rules for novice drivers, including the digital driving license and the European recognition of driving license withdrawal. The lives of European drivers will change with more safety-conscious regulations.

“Today is an important step forward in improving road safety,” commented Matteo Ricci, MEP for the Democratic Party and rapporteur for the European Parliament for one of the new laws. The two approved directives are part of the package presented by the European Commission in 2023. Now, after a long process, they have been definitively adopted. The ball is now in the court of the Member States, which will have up to four years to transpose them into their national laws.

Rules for novice drivers 

The main novelty is that one can drive a car as early as 17, provided that an experienced driver is at one’s side until the age of 18. The aim is to guarantee all newly licensed drivers a trial period of at least two years. During this time, the young person will have a license, but will have to comply with stricter rules than other drivers. One of these is the zero tolerance in the event of a positive alcohol test or failure to wear a seat belt. The directive hopes that these strict rules will also apply to experienced drivers.

There will be new requirements to obtain a learner’s permit. In driving schools, drivers will have to gain greater awareness of the risks for pedestrians, children, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users. Specific courses will be introduced on the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving, and questions on the risks of blind spots and driver assistance systems.

No more cross-border offenders

For less responsible drivers, new rules are being introduced that can take effect beyond national borders. Today, individuals who commit serious offenses in a country other than the one where their license was issued often go unpunished. Under the new rules, individuals who lose their driving license due to gross negligence will be banned from driving in any EU state. This will put an end to cross-border offenders, filling a legislative gap that, by Ricci’s own admission, had existed “for more than sixty years.”

The digital document

For greater European uniformity, it will also be compulsory to have a digital driving license, made possible by the e-wallet technology valid throughout the EU. In a few years, the mobile phone format will be the primary means of communication for all EU citizens. In Italy, a trial is already underway, allowing users to obtain the document on their smartphone via the IO app. For those who are less accustomed to technology, MEPs have, however, guaranteed the possibility of still applying for a physical driving license. 

The periodic renewal 

The periodic renewal of driving licenses will also undergo some changes. The European Union has set a maximum validity limit of 15 years for ordinary licenses and five years for heavy vehicles. However, these provisions will not affect Italian drivers, who are already required to renew their licenses every ten years (five years for truck drivers). The novelties concern, instead, stricter health checks at the moment, including eye and cardiovascular examinations. It will, however, be up to the Member States to regulate these aspects in detail.

Exemptions for professional drivers

While the European Union is introducing stricter rules to increase safety, it is also taking a different approach to tackling the shortage of professional drivers. The rules approved today lower the minimum age for obtaining a truck driving license from 21 to 18, and the minimum age for bus driving from 24 to 21.

A little more safety 

The EU design for safer driving is part of a project launched in 2018. The Union had set itself a 2030 goal of decreasing the number of road fatalities, a target that is still a long way off but shows the first signs of improvement. In 2024, there were 20 percent fewer deaths than the 25,100 recorded in 2018. Italy is the second country in this sad ranking, with 3,030 victims in 2024, behind only France.