The main newscast of TV Nova, Televizní noviny, showed a report on 11 April 2005, entitled “Problems with the Exchange of Driver’s Licences”, which dealt with the compulsory exchange of driver’s licences issued before the end of 2000.  According to the applicable legal regulation, which took effect on 1 January 2001, those driver’s licences must be exchanged for new ones by the end of 2005, otherwise they will become invalid.

 

The obligation to have a driver’s licence exchanged applies to licences issued between 1 July 1964 and 31 December 2000.  The Ministry of Transport has been aware of this problem for some time, and has taken several measures to manage the situation, both in the production and distribution of new driver’s licences.  The production and distribution of driver’s licences is managing to deal even with the increased number of applications for the exchange of a driver’s licence, without any problems or fluctuations.

 

Other measures are directed at achieving an extension of the period for the exchange of driver’s licences, and of dividing it up into several stages, by changing the legal regulation.  A suggestion to extend the period was presented to the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament in January 2004, as part of a draft amendment to the Act on Traffic on the Road Network.  Among other things, the draft would have extended the period for the compulsory exchange of older driver’s licences for new ones, in gradual steps, up to 2013.  The draft has, however, not yet been approved by the Chamber of Deputies. 

 

There is general agreement that the periods for the exchange of driver’s licences must be extended, so it can be expected that it will very likely be enacted.  The Ministry of Transport therefore recommends that applicants decide wisely, do not succumb to panic, do not waste their time in unreasonably long lines, and time the exchange of their driver’s licence for a period without line-ups and needles waiting.  This would also help improve the work situation at municipal authorities with delegated powers, which bear the brunt of the situation.  The Ministry of Transportation co-operates to the greatest extent possible with municipalities, attempting to resolve the situation.

 

The authorities concerned have already been informed in this respect.