The issue of the withdrawal of driving licenses from the elderly raises heated debate, particularly around the procedure for reporting a relative deemed unfit to drive. Although this measure, launched at the end of 2024, is intended to improve road safety, it raises concerns about the risk of abuse and the responsibility of relatives.
Withdrawal of driving licenses: how to broach the subject with a loved one?
Talking to a senior citizen about stopping or adapting to driving can be a tricky business, explains Sylvie Bonin-Guillaume, Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the APHM. According to her, there is no “magic formula”. Brandishing the threat of an outright driving ban is often counter-productive, as it can encourage the senior to want to prove that he or she is still capable, even if this is no longer the case.
What’s more, the stigma attached to age can exacerbate this phenomenon. Bonin-Guillaume points out that, in the majority of cases, older people realize their own limitations and spontaneously stop driving when they feel in danger.
The geriatrician recommends approaching the subject from the angle of comfort rather than constraint.
Ask simple questions like: Would you feel comfortable driving from Paris to Marseille? Or crossing a complicated intersection?
These questions help to raise awareness of personal limits and target situations to be avoided. The aim is not necessarily to stop driving altogether, but rather to adopt an adapted driving style: give priority to short journeys, in daylight, and on familiar roads. This respectful approach enables seniors to maintain their independence while ensuring their safety and that of others.
Reporting a relative unfit to drive: a recently launched measure
Faced with the increase in age- and health-related accidents, recent measures in France were introduced at the end of 2024 to enable everyone to report a loved one deemed unfit to drive. However, this approach raises a number of questions, notably about potential abuse and the responsibility of relatives in reporting.
How to report a relative who is unfit to drive
For some years now, it has been possible to report a relative who is unfit to drive in France, a procedure facilitated by the prefecture. According to the French Road Safety Authority (Sécurité Routière), any citizen can report a person if he or she believes that the person presents a risk to road safety. This applies to anyone deemed unfit to drive by a relative, doctor or even a law enforcement officer, due to their state of health, age or physical condition.
Note that the cost of the medical examination triggered by the report is 36 euros, and is borne by the person reported, with no possible reimbursement by social security.
The reporting procedure can be carried out by letter or e-mail to the prefect of the département in which the person to be reported lives. You need to provide precise information on the identity of the person concerned and the reasons for the report. Once the report has been made, the prefect has a period of time in which to examine the person’s medical file and decide what action to take.
Published by the Editorial Staff on