It started with a bike ride. A group of children, full of energy, pedaled through La Rochelle. And then everything changed in a second.
An 83-year-old driver, headed the wrong way, struck them. Several were injured. The scene was chaotic. Unthinkable.
And now, the question echoes louder than ever: At what point is it no longer safe to drive? Can someone be too old to sit behind the wheel?
Or is age just a number when it comes to road safety? The debate isn’t easy. It never has been. Because behind the statistics are real people—parents, grandparents, neighbors.
People who’ve been driving safely for 50, even 60 years. But aging does change things.
According to France’s Road Safety Authority, drivers over 75 are involved in as many accidents as those aged 18 to 24.
That’s not a coincidence. Reflexes slow down. Eyesight fades. Hearing dulls. And multitasking? Becomes harder than it used to be.
But here’s the catch: in France, your driver’s license lasts for life. Unless it’s revoked due to a major violation, you can legally drive at any age.
That’s not the case in other countries. Germany and Italy require health checks for older drivers—typically around 70 or 75.
France doesn’t. It trusts its citizens to know when it’s time to step back. But do we always know? Especially when giving up driving can feel like giving up freedom.
