Govt mulls weekend nights restrictions for 17 years drivers

The government has taken an initiative to bring amendments to the driving licence Act with the view to address concerns regarding young drivers and at the same time to make obtaining a driving licence more flexible.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications invited comments on a legislative proposal to amend the Driving Licence Act and the deadline for comments is 17 November, said the ministry in a press release on Wednesday.

According to the proposal, 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.

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

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.

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.

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