Danish 17-year-olds get the right to drive

Some restrictions apply as legal driving age is lowered by one year

May 31, 2016

A majority in the Danish Parliament has today given 17-year-olds the right to get a driving licence and drive.

The catch is that they will have to be in the company of an experienced driver over the age of 30 who has not had their licence either conditionally or unconditionally revoked in the past ten years.

The bill was proposed by Hans Christian Schmidt, the transport minister, and was adopted by a broad majority in parliament, with 101 in favour and just nine against.

A drop in deaths
Similar legislation in Germany has helped to reduce the number of young people killed in traffic accidents.

Schmidt told DR Nyheder that German statistics have shown that 17-year-olds driving with an experienced driver during their first year have 22 percent fewer traffic accidents than 18-year-olds driving under the old laws that allowed them to drive alone.

Moped age lowered as well
The amendment of the Road Traffic Act will initially be a three-year pilot scheme. The dates for when the new law will take effect have yet to be nailed down.

The minimum age for taking the moped driving exam was also lowered from 16 to 15.

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