Comments invited on proposals for amendments to the Driving Licence Act

The Ministry of Transport and Communications invites comments on a legislative proposal to amend the Driving Licence Act. The deadline for comments is 17 November 2021.

The Driving Licence Act was reformed in 2018. In this connection, Parliament required that a follow-up study on the implementation and impacts of the amendments be carried out. The first findings were published in March 2021.

The report found a declining trend in accidents among young drivers in 2019 and 2020. On the other hand, the number of injuries sustained by 17-year-olds while driving a passenger car went up in 2020, and drivers in this age group violated driving bans almost twice as often as 18-year-olds.

The amendments to the driving licence Act aim to address concerns concerning young drivers in particular. At the same time, the aim is to make obtaining a driving licence and the activities of the authorities more flexible.

"We want to enable young people's mobility also in the future. This requires paying more attention to road safety," says Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka.

Key proposals

1. To develop driver training, the requirements for risk identification training would be increased and a requirement would be added that, as a rule, training on how to drive on slippery roads be carried out on a driver training track. The risk identification training would be increased by two hours (one hour of theory lessons and one hour of driving tuition).

2. Training concerning the driving ban would be extended to cover the driving licence categories of AM/120, AM/121 and T as well as drivers temporarily disqualified from driving by the police.

3. The exemption procedure would be abolished. In future, it would be possible to complete a category B driving licence (category B restricted right to drive) at the age of 17 with the consent of the person having custody of the minor.

4. Drivers who are 17 years old and have a category B right to drive would not be permitted to drive on Saturdays from midnight to 5 a.m. and on Sundays from midnight to 5 a.m. The restriction would end when the driver turns 18.

5. 17-year-old drivers would be obliged to use a symbol affixed to the car indicating that the driver is under 18 years old.

6. As a more general measure promoting road safety, it is proposed that a sanction be imposed for anyone guilty of cheating in the theoretical test of the driver's examination: a six-month ban on participating in the test, and if an interpreter was used in the test, a six-month ban for them to act as an interpreter in theoretical tests.

What's next?

Comments on the draft bill can be submitted online at www.lausuntopalvelu.fi. All organisations and private individuals are invited to submit comments.

After the consultation round, the preparations will be continued by public servants.

Inquiries

Sini Wirén, Director of Unit, tel. +358 40 507 0916

Monika Mutanen, Senior Officer, tel. +358 50 478 4820

Pyry Takala, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 50 911 7627