EU driving rules

THE European Commission (EU) has now presented proposals to modernise driving licence rules.

This includes the introduction of a digital driving licence valid throughout the EU, and new provisions to facilitate the enforcement of traffic rules across borders.

More than 20,000 lives were lost on EU roads last year and the majority of victims were pedestrians, cyclists and users of scooters and motorbikes.

The new rules will improve safety for all road users and will help the EU achieve its Vision Zero of having no deaths on EU roads by 2050.

They will prepare drivers better for zero­emission vehicles and for driving on city roads, alongside more bicycles and two­wheelers, and with many pedestrians around. They will also allow young drivers to gain experience through an accompanied driving scheme: From the age of 17, young people will be able to learn to drive and obtain a licence.

Those who pass at 17 will be able to drive alone from their 18th birthday and to work as a professional driver as soon as a specific job allows. This will help address the current driver shortage.

ACCORDING to the latest data published on Thursday, March 16, in the European Union Oil Bulletin, the average price of diesel has risen in Spain for the first time since the end of January. Similarly, petrol has also gone up in price again. A litre of diesel stands at €1.592, while petrol is €1.644/litre.

Both fuels suffered their biggest rise since the force of the veto on imports of Russian petroleum products on February 5. Petrol has risen by 0.74 per cent compared to €1.632/litre