The plans to allow 17-year-olds to drive heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) under an accompanied driving scheme have received strong criticism for being labeled as “dangerous.” The European Parliament’s transport committee has officially backed proposals to reform driving license rules within the European Union by a slim majority of one.
The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) is concerned about the potentially devastating consequences for road safety if the amendments agreed upon by the committee make it into the final legislation. MEPs have supported the European Commission’s requirement for all EU Member States to issue driving licenses to 17-year-olds to drive heavy goods vehicles under an accompanied driving scheme. The ETSC is worried that this would significantly increase the number of teenagers driving lorries, which could have severe negative consequences for road safety.
Currently, only five countries – Finland, Germany, Ireland, Poland, and Spain – allow teenagers as young as 18 to drive a lorry. Data from Finland, Germany, and Poland suggests that the youngest lorry drivers (18-19 years) are more likely to cause a crash, as claimed by the road safety group. The ETSC argues that, from a road safety perspective, the minimum age in the EU for lorry drivers should be 21, which is the current ‘recommended’ minimum.
In addition to changes for lorry drivers, the transport committee has also supported the idea of allowing children aged 16 to drive speed-limited cars, a concept that originated in Finland. However, the Commission’s own impact assessment has raised concerns about the potential additional road safety risks, particularly for vulnerable road users.
The UK Government is considering its own changes to driving license rules, including the possibility of allowing drivers to operate vehicles weighing up to 7.5 tonnes upon passing their driving test. This proposal has received mixed reactions from respondents to a Government consultation and has raised some safety concerns.
The revisions to the EU Driving License Directive will need to be negotiated by MEPs, EU transport ministers, and the European Commission following a plenary vote in the European Parliament in January. This will determine the final shape of the revised legislation.