The Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) has reminded drivers of 65 years of age and over about changes to their driving licence conditions; i.e., renewals.
The main change is that when you reach this age, you will have to renew it every five years instead of every ten years for younger drivers. Drivers of 70 or over will have to renew their driving licence every two years. Drivers over 90 will be issued a wheelchair with a toy steering wheel & honker and told not to be silly. Just joking, of course!
The DGT made the decision to introduce this change because one in three road deaths within the European Union involves a driver over 65. In Spain the figure is closer to 28% of road deaths. The EU authorities consider that this is because of a loss of aptitude.
So, what do you need in order to renew your Spanish driving licence? You have to provide the following:
• The official application form.
• A doctor’s aptitude test results. (you know, prove that you’re not blind as a bat and deaf as a post, as well as being able to keep a dot between two moving, wavy lines for a couple of minutes).
• ID; i.e, your TIE, Passport or Residency Certificate.
• A recent photo.
Editorial comment: mine runs out in March anyway, so I will have to renew it and being in my 66th year, it will only be valid five years. Secondly, they say that one in three road deaths involve over 65-year olds with impaired reactions… So, what is the damned excuse for the other two in three who are under 65?
(News: Spain)