Spain’s over-65 drivers hit by new DGT rules – Here’s what’s really changing

Spain’s traffic authority, the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), is introducing new rules for drivers aged over 65 – and it’s already affecting around 250,000 motorists across the country.

This is not about banning people over 50 from driving. DGT wants to improve driving safety by tailoring conditions for each driver, rather than using age to set a limit.

The new senior driver approach

Many assumed, up until now, that the age of the driver would eventually result in the loss. DGT’s new strategy takes a completely different approach. Rather than taking away licenses automatically, the DGT introduces personalised limitations based on an individual’s health, reflexes and mobility.

Studies suggest that drivers over 65 are not necessarily more dangerous. According to the DGTOlder motorists balance their slower reflexes, experience, caution and a strong feeling of responsibility behind wheel.

The new system adds numerical codes at the back of every licence to indicate which restrictions are applicable to each driver. The new system is designed to keep drivers on the road, while also recognizing that not every driver has the same abilities.

What do the new restrictions mean?

There are no universal limitations. These limitations can be adapted to the real world and include simple steps such as:

• Avoid night driving when visibility and response times are critical.
• Limiting travel within a particular geographic area.
• Requiring a second person to ride in the car adds an extra layer of security.
• Make glasses or hearing aids compulsory when needed.

They are essentially safety filters, and not punishments. These filters allow people to maintain their independence while not putting themselves and others in danger. As the DGT explained, the idea is to find a balance between mobility and safety – something that benefits everyone on the road.

Possible future changes

DGT is also considering other measures including reducing the renewal period from five years for drivers older than 65 to only two. The proposal is not yet approved but the DGT is seriously debating it.

Another idea under review is to make the psychotechnical test — the medical and psychological assessment required to renew a licence — more demanding, ensuring that age-related conditions are spotted early.

Around 70,000 drivers saw new restrictions placed on their licenses in the past year. Combining previous years, this brings the total up to around a quarter million motorists who are currently driving with these restrictions.

Experience on the road

For many older drivers, the car represents freedom – the ability to visit family, run errands, or simply maintain a social life. DGT claims to understand this reality and is focused on adapting, not exclusion.

Officials want to make it clear that this campaign is not against older drivers. This is an attempt to modernise how licences are handled in a country that has one of the oldest populations in Europe.

In short, Spain’s new approach is about trust – trusting that older drivers can stay safe, provided the rules evolve with them.