Interior Ministry wants to prevent worst drivers from ever driving again.
Interior Ministry has opened a public consultation period for the draft Law on Road Traffic Safety, which includes a provision for permanent cancellation of driving licenses for certain drivers without the possibility of them ever retaking the exam, reports Jutarnji List on December 24, 2016.
The current system of negative points on driving licences allows for the prohibition of driving for periods of between 9 and 12 months, after a driver collects nine negative points. Under certain conditions, it is even possible to permanently cancel a driver's license, but that provision does not work in practice. Therefore, the Ministry now proposes much simpler procedure for permanent cancellation of driver's licenses. According to the proposed amendments, the driving license would be revoked if a driver gathers 12 negative points, or nine points for young drivers.
Interior Ministry also proposes the introduction of extraordinary medical examinations for drivers who are caught with any illegal amount of alcohol in the blood three times within three years. So far, medical examination was mandated just for drivers caught driving with more than 0.15 percent of alcohol in the blood. However, according to the new proposal, drivers caught three times while driving under the influence of alcohol would be examined, because “they might reasonably be suspected of having an alcohol problem”.
The draft law also provides for mandatory medical examinations of all drivers over the age of 65, “due to health changes that can occur at this age and which may affect their ability to drive”.
The law also wants to redefine the term “young driver”, which would now include all drivers until they reach 24 years of age and all drivers during the first two years after they receive their driving license. Young drivers will no longer have any special restrictions, but would just have to follow general rules that apply to all drivers, with one exception.
“Given the fact that young drivers and drivers without enough driving experience cause a disproportionately high number of traffic accidents compared to other drivers, the intention is to lower the limit for suspension of their driver licenses to just nine points. That will hopefully affect the behaviour of this group of drivers”, announced the Ministry.
The new law would also abolish the obligation for technical inspection of new cars and would enable liberalization of driving schools sector, in compliance with European competition rules.
