Eighty-year-old Alf Mylläri from Kokkola champions driving freedom amid proposed license assessment reforms in Finland

Eighty-year-old Alf Mylläri from Kokkola casually steers with one hand while the other keeps time to the song he is singing. The musician has driven extensive miles throughout his life and continues to travel for performances and music teaching. He notes that lacking a driver’s license would feel like losing his freedom.

The need for a driver’s license varies by region. Timo Suominen, Chairman of the Finnish Driving School Association, emphasizes that maintaining driving ability helps elderly individuals stay at home longer, especially in sparsely populated areas.

A government proposal to require private assessments for driver’s licenses is currently open for public review, eliciting mixed reactions. The Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS) does not conduct routine age-related driving assessments, except for long-term care patients, but aims to include collaboration between municipal and private sectors in the law change. Chief Physician Jukka Moilanen warns that exclusively relying on private services could lead to excessive costs for some patients requiring assessments from multiple specialists.

In Central Ostrobothnia, local officials believe the proposal will pass. In fact, the area has already begun directing driving license applicants to private services. However, a poor economic situation halted lists for such assessments.

In North Karelia, the proposal is welcomed due to significant challenges in securing appointments for driving assessments. Southern Ostrobothnia is ready to discontinue issuing driver’s license certificates if it does not affect regional funding, while Central Finland intends to keep expanded assessments under public welfare areas.

Currently, the average cost for a driver’s license assessment is about 90 euros through public health services, whereas private clinics charge around 200 euros. Mylläri opted for a private assessment, believing that public services would involve long wait times. The wider medical examination for renewing a driver’s license includes tests for memory, vision, hearing, blood pressure, and substance use, typically starting around age 70, sometimes requiring additional driving tests.

In Finland, roughly 900 driving assessments for license renewals take place each year, with about 300 resulting in approval. Notably, 83% of applicants are male, and only 31% pass on their first attempt. Reasons for failure mirror those of younger drivers, including issues with perception, assessment, speed control, and traffic situation understanding. Mylläri, however, considers himself a skilled driver and earns the trust of his adult children, enjoying independence behind the wheel.