An increasing number of older drivers in France are looking to keep their driving skills sharp, by retaking their driving test, taking refresher courses, or even learning to drive for the first time in their older years.
A poll by motorway management company Vinci Autoroutes found that 93% of drivers aged 65 and over in France still drive (98% of men, 89% of women).
The poll also found:
78% of older drivers drive several times a week (but 58% drive “less than they did before”)
81% of older drivers are more careful, including pausing for longer at intersections, slowing down more, and driving less at night
91% say that driving is “indispensable” in their life
94% of older drivers are in areas outside of public-transport-heavy Paris and Ile-de-France
It also found that more than three in five (67%) of drivers aged 65 or over would welcome training exercises or programmes that would help them maintain their abilities.
What are the current rules on older drivers?
Older drivers in France do not currently need to take any follow-up courses, tests or medical checks once they have their full, regular driving licence.
Read also: Do older drivers have to sit any aptitude tests in France?
These drivers can put a sticker with an ‘S’ on it on their vehicles to show that the driver is elderly, with wording such as Votre ainé au volant (senior citizen at the wheel). However, this is not mandatory (unlike the ‘A’ sticker for those who have recently passed their test).
‘More careful but more stressed’
One woman, aged 64, told BFMTV that learning to drive and taking her driving test now was a way for her to gain more autonomy in her older age, and stop relying on other people - mainly her husband - to drop her off and pick up.
Her driving teacher, Frédérique Chérousse, said that older drivers tend to be more careful, but also more “stressed” at the wheel.
“There is a certain frailty, maybe they have not driven for a long time, or they do not drive much, so when they find themselves in certain situations, they can get a little worried,” she said.
As part of the company’s focus on older drivers, Bernadette Moreau, general delegate at the Fondation Vinci Autoroutes, presented a new computer programme that is designed to help seniors prepare for driving tests and improve their responses in more challenging road situations.
She said: “The objective is to give older people exercises to help improve and maintain their spatial awareness and abilities when driving.”
Driving issues
Older people may suffer from issues such as declining and / or narrowing fields of vision which can cause them extra problems when driving, particularly at night.
People who feel they need better glasses or other corrective treatments - and those who already wear glasses or lenses - should speak to their ophthalmologist or optician about ensuring that their vision is still good enough to enable safe driving.
Certain medications can also cause danger, such as those that can lead to drowsiness; while other issues such as reduced mobility in the hands, arms, face and neck can also mean that driving is not as safe as it once was.
Driving debates
Debates frequently re-emerge in France over whether older people should need to take a renewed driving test or whether more stringent rules are required, particularly after incidents involving older drivers.
France remains one of the few European countries where medical tests or check-ups are not required for elderly drivers to keep their licences. The EU recently debated whether to bring in mandatory checks across the member states (which would include France), but this was rejected.
Read more: EU parliament votes against mandatory medical visits for drivers
Most recently, renewed debates were sparked after seven children were injured - one seriously - after an 83-year-old driver ran into them, near the centre of La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime, Nouvelle-Aquitaine) on June 5, 2024.
The children were aged seven to 11, and riding bikes during an educational trip. They were accompanied by two adult coordinators, and were wearing helmets and fluorescent jackets.
Initial inquiries suggested that the bikes were travelling on the right hand side of the road, when a Renault Twingo travelling in the opposite direction suddenly swerved to the left for no apparent reason, colliding with the cyclists head-on.
A witness to the crash, said at the time that the driver “did not brake” and that “the woman was inside, in shock, and had not fully realised what she had done”.
Similarly, a case hit headlines in 2023, after an accident in Berck (Pas-de-Calais), in which a 76-year-old driver confused the accelerator and brake pedals. He ploughed into a crowd as the town hosted a kite festival, injuring a dozen people, including one woman seriously.
In July of the same year, MP Bruno Millienne called for more legislation on the issue, saying that drivers over 75 should be required to have checks every five years to ensure they are still safe to drive.
“Some senior citizens continue to drive despite clearly impaired cognitive abilities, thereby endangering themselves and other road users,” said Mr Millienne.
Read also: Older drivers must pass medical tests to stay on French roads, says MP
Dordogne drivers
In February this year (2025), the Dordogne prefecture started asking residents to report elderly drivers (and others) who they believe to be potentially unfit to be behind the wheel.
This campaign was sparked by an increase in the severity of road accidents in the area, of which a third involved older people.
Read also: Report older drivers who are potentially dangerous, prompts French prefect
Dordogne prefect Marie Aubert said: “Unfortunately we know that as we age we lose our cognitive reflexes. We are an ageing department, a very large one, with a network of secondary roads that are quite accident-prone.
“We have a lot of isolated houses in the countryside, often with older people for whom the car is a fairly essential means of transport,” she said.
Those who feel that an elderly person they know is unfit to drive can take action by:
Contacting the departmental prefecture either by post or email
Providing evidence of why the person may no longer be fit to drive (such as a medical condition or medication they need to take)
Including as much detail as possible about the person’s ability to drive, as well as both your address and that of the person you are reporting
If the department deems the request valid, officials will ask the driver to have a medical appointment to assess their ability to drive and, based on the recommendation of the doctor, may choose to suspend the person’s licence.
These action points relate to drivers of all ages, and in all departments (not just Dordogne).
There is also an official list of medical conditions that can lead to a temporary or permanent licence revocation by prefects, which was last updated in 2022. It includes not just conditions themselves, but also symptoms of conditions that can cause danger on roads – such as fatigue or heart difficulties.
However, it does not focus on older drivers specifically.
“Everyone, every family, needs to ask themselves whether their loved ones are still able to drive safely,” said Ms Aubert.
She added that residents should help elderly people, to reduce seniors’ isolation and their reliance on driving.
“If that means going out once a week to help [an elderly person] with their shopping, rather than letting them do it themselves [and putting multiple people] in danger, then let's do it,” she said.
Other European countries
Some European countries already require extra checks to ensure older people are still fit to drive.
In the Netherlands, drivers over 75 must take a sight, hearing, and reflex test every five years to keep their licence. In Ireland, all drivers over 70 undergo annual medical examinations to continue driving.
What's your view, do you think older people need regular tests and training to continue driving? Please let us know via feedback@connexionfrance.com
