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EU Directive Costing Drivers |
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By Virpi Hattukangas
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Tuesday, 11 March 2008 |
A new European Union directive will substantially increase the cost of driving licences in Finland. From 2013 onwards you may have to renew your licence as often as every fifth year paying the full renewal cost each time.
Eija Maunu, Senior Adviser at Traffic Safety Unit of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, says that at least in the heavy vehicle classes for trucks, busses and professional driving (C, D and E), the requirement will be to renew the licence every five years.
At present truck and bus licence holders are required to submit a driving licence medical certificate every five years starting when they turn 50. Also currently all drivers are required to submit an optician’s certificate to the police after turning 45. It is yet to be determined whether a full medical check up is required for everyone each time or whether an optician’s report will be enough.
How much it will cost has also not yet been determined. Maunu expects the renewal process to cost around the same as it does now. (The current price of a regular licence renewal is 40 euros plus photographs and medical certificate costs.) In reality, everyone with licences in C Class or other heavy transport classes needs to go through the renewal process every five years. Other ‘lighter’ A and B Class licences will be renewed for a longer period each time. Maunu expects this period to be determined to be either at 10 or 15 years.
The new law in 2013 would cancel the current law in Finland where the right to operate heavy vehicles (CE and D Class) terminates when the licence holder reaches 70. There would be, in fact, no upper age limit for renewing your professional driving permit and C or D Class licences. Markus Kiiskinen from Oulu police would, however, prefer to keep the upper age limit at 70 for C and D Class. He sees that heavy vehicle drivers over the age of 70 might be a risk to traffic safety. Recommendations for the final details will be revealed by a working group at the end of this year but it looks like all driver’s licences will have to be renewed at the latest in 2033. (Kaleva)
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