The Finnish government’s proposal to amend the Driving License Act—a move aimed at enhancing road safety for young drivers—will be up for discussion in Parliament next week.
Recent findings from a survey commissioned by Fintraffic, Finland’s traffic management agency, reveal that one in three young people believe the current requirements for obtaining a driving license are too lenient. This poll, which surveyed over 800 individuals aged 15 to 24, found that 463 of them already hold a driving license.
Fintraffic’s CEO, Pasi Anteroinen, voiced serious concerns regarding the implications of these findings. He noted that Finland currently trails other Nordic nations in terms of traffic safety for its youth. “The relative ease of obtaining a license raises significant safety issues,” Anteroinen stated in a press release.
The upcoming amendments to the Driving License Act aim to address these very concerns. Anteroinen pointed out the need for greater instruction during the licensing process, suggesting that the proposed law would increase the number of theory lessons by three and add one additional driving lesson. “While the increase may seem modest, it represents a step forward,” he reflected.
### A Legislative Shift
In addition to increasing educational requirements, the proposed bill seeks to tighten the criteria for granting exemption licenses to underage drivers and to introduce a nighttime driving ban for those who hold such permits. Finland’s legal driving age is set at 18; however, a law change in 2018 allowed 17-year-olds to obtain licenses under specific, less stringent conditions.
Currently, the data from Fintraffic shows that nine out of ten applicants qualify for an exemption license. Remarkably, around 20,000 17-year-olds possess such permits—nearly a third of that age group. Anteroinen raised a critical question: can such regulations still be viewed as “exemptions” at this point?
He also expressed support for the proposed nighttime ban, which would prohibit 17-year-old license holders from driving between midnight and 5 a.m. “Two out of five fatal traffic accidents involving young people occur at night. Implementing a nighttime driving ban is a straightforward approach to potentially reducing nearly half of these tragic incidents,” he emphasized.
Surprisingly, nearly 45 percent of young respondents supported this nighttime restriction, while 35 percent opposed it. Should Parliament approve the proposed amendments, these changes are set to take effect on June 1.