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Rare Achievement Recorded by Detran-PR Involves More Than One Hundred Practical Classes, Seven Processes, and Approval After Successive Attempts, in a Journey That Attracts Attention Due to Age, But Is Sustained by Strict Compliance with License Rules and the Official Data of Traffic in Paraná.
At 91 years old, retiree Vanda Davanso Gnann completed the process to obtain her first National Driver’s License (CNH) in Paraná after taking over 100 practical classes, repeating steps, and being approved at the end of seven formal processes conducted by Detran.
A resident of Ibiporã, in the north of the state, she fully met the same requirements applied to any candidate, including a theoretical test and a practical driving exam, according to a record released by Detran-PR, which presented the case as unusual given her age.
According to the state agency, there had been no records, up to that point, of people obtaining their first driver’s license at that age in Paraná, which led employees and examiners to closely monitor the journey from the first attempts.
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Vanda’s CNH was issued on September 27, 2016, just days after she turned 91, concluding a lengthy process that involved classes, successive assessments, and periodic returns to the required stages of the traffic system.
The Licensing Process at 91 Years Old Attracted Attention in Paraná
Although public interest focused on the candidate’s age, what supports the story is the verifiable sequence of steps, attempts, and technical evaluations that marked the process until the final approval.
Throughout this journey, Vanda faced failures, retook exams, and returned to tests whenever necessary, until she met the final requirement and received approval in the practical driving assessment.
According to Detran-PR itself, the main obstacle during her attempts was not related to ignorance of the rules or the steps of the exam, but to the nervousness displayed during the practical test.
In the theoretical part, on the other hand, her performance was considered high by the examiners who monitored the evaluation, indicating mastery of the content required for licensing.
According to examiner Marcelo de Castro Souza, from the Ciretran of Ibiporã, Vanda answered 29 out of 30 questions correctly on the theoretical exam, a result that contrasted with the difficulties faced in the practical stage.
The previous failures, according to the agency’s report, occurred due to the typical insecurity of the exam and not due to a lack of technical knowledge, until the candidate was able to advance and conclude the process.
Commenting on the case, the then director of Detran-PR, Marcos Traad, defined the journey as uncommon and emphasized that all mandatory tests and procedures were applied without any flexibilization associated with age. “Vanda’s story is very unusual.”
There Is No Maximum Age to Obtain the First CNH
Cases like this often raise doubts outside of the technical environment of traffic, especially about the existence of a maximum age to start driving or to obtain the first license.
Brazilian rules, however, do not establish an automatic age limit that prevents the issuance of the first CNH or obligates someone to stop driving simply for being elderly.
The central criterion remains proven fitness in the required evaluations, including theoretical, practical, and physical and mental fitness exams, applied according to the parameters set forth in legislation.
With aging, what changes is the frequency of the medical exam that conditions the validity of the document, functioning as a more frequent monitoring of the individual conditions of the driver.
Under current legislation, the validity period is ten years for drivers under 50, five years for those aged 50 to 69, and three years from age 70, which can be reduced by medical recommendation.
It was within this logic that Detran-PR contextualized Vanda’s case, reinforcing that licensing can be obtained and renewed as long as the driver satisfactorily demonstrates the required skills.
In this scenario, age becomes a regulatory parameter for monitoring rather than an isolated factor capable of obstructing access to the right to drive.
Drivers Over 90 Years Old Are a Minority in the State
After the issuance of the CNH, Vanda became part of a statistically small group within the universe of drivers in Paraná, composed of individuals over the age of 90.
According to research cited by Detran-PR, drivers in this age group represented only 0.01% of the total registered drivers in the state at that time.
The number corresponded to 815 individuals among about 5.4 million registered drivers, revealing the rarity of this age group within the state traffic system.
According to the agency, 92% of drivers over 90 were men, which also contributed to making the case gain additional visibility.
This set of data helps explain why the journey attracted attention, both for its low numerical representation and for the predominant gender profile among older drivers.
The Car Purchase Marked the Beginning of Practical Autonomy
The approval of the licensing process was not limited to obtaining the document, as shortly after receiving the CNH, Vanda bought a car with the intention of using it in her daily life.
According to reports released by Detran-PR, the goal was to make trips and outings, linking the newly acquired license to a more autonomous routine.
In one of the statements released by the agency, she summed up her plans after approval by stating: “I will drive, yes, I want to go for a ride.”
In this context, the vehicle is no longer a secondary detail and comes to represent the practical unfolding of the process, transforming the document into concrete mobility.
The agency also noted that the family, initially resistant to the idea, changed their position after the approval and even organized a celebration to mark the achievement.
In the local follow-up, the journey mobilized professionals involved in the stages, including the team from the driving school responsible for the candidate’s practical training.
The owner of the establishment mentioned by Detran-PR, Neusa Maria Armelin, attributed the result to Vanda’s commitment and consistent learning pace demonstrated throughout the classes.
“Her willingness to learn is impressive.”
With the journey documented in classes, exams, and retake of evaluations, Vanda’s case reinforces a central aspect of the Brazilian traffic system, in which the CNH is not granted by expectation, but by technical evaluation.
At the same time, the story exposes how the topic of age and driving is often treated simplistically, when, in practice, it involves objective criteria, validity periods, and periodic medical re-evaluations.
In a country that is aging and discussing mobility beyond public transport, how can licensing rules and exams balance, at the same time, road safety and the autonomy of those who choose to drive later in life?
Será que a instrutora dela é a mesma do Bob Esponja?