Driving license: France adapts to rest of Europe

From 2005 the French will also be able to get a driving license only after having a medical checkup. A certificate of 'absence of contraindications for driving' must be renewed every ten years for people under 70 and more often for people over that age (the current proposal is every 5 years between 70 and 75, every year for over 75s).

The implementation of this regulation will bring France into line with the rest of Europe, as it is the only country in the European Union that does not yet require a medical certificate.

The list of license contraindications refer to illnesses, serious alcohol or drug dependency, as well as compromised sight and behavior.

Some of the contraindications regarding sight while driving are:
- vision acuity of less than 5/10 for distance, using both eyes after correction with glasses, lac or refractive surgery;
- restriction of the field of vision;
- irrepressible blepharospasm (a condition characterized by the sustained, forced and involuntary closing of the eyelids);
- permanent, uncorrectable diplopia.