Inspection of speed limiting devices brought up in statements on government decrees regarding lightweight vehicles

The Ministry of Transport and Communications received a total of 26 statements on the draft government decrees regarding lightweight vehicles. The decrees supplement legislation on lightweight cars.

Statements were submitted by various authorities, companies and lobbies active in the field as well as private citizens. The statements were largely in favour of the draft decrees. 

According to one of the draft proposals, provisions on passenger vehicles would also apply to lightweight vehicles regarding, for example, the transport of passengers and the loading, tyre requirements and inspection of vehicles.

Several details in the decrees received both support and opposition. These included aspects related to the transport of passengers and goods, the automatic transmission requirement in driving licences and the continued use of passenger car number plates.

As for mandatory periodic inspections, the statements called for annual inspections of at least the operation of speed limiting devices.

The request for statements was published on the lausuntopalvelu.fi website on 3 May 2019, and the deadline for submitting statements was on 20 June 2019.

What is a lightweight vehicle?

Lightweight vehicles are T1 category vehicles that have been converted from M1 category vehicles, that is, from passenger cars, which have come into use in or after 2015.

The maximum design speed of a lightweight vehicle is limited to 60 km/h and the maximum mass in running order is 1500 kg, or 1800 kg if the vehicle is powered only by electricity.

Under the legislation on driving licences, in order to drive a lightweight vehicle, the driver requires a category AM licence. The minimum age for obtaining such a licence is 15 years.

What next?

Public officials will continue to prepare the decrees based on the statements received.

The Government is to decide on the issuing of the decrees in the autumn. The amendments will enter into force on 1 November 2019.

The European Commission has been notified of the draft decrees in accordance with the notification procedure for technical regulations. The standstill period ends on 5 August 2019.

For more information, please contact:

Aino Still, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 29 573 9433

CORRECTION 4 July 2019: the correct number of statements is 26, not 21.