The European Parliament’s transport committee is getting ready to take a stance on EU driving license guidelines that will enable 17-year-olds to drive vehicles and 16-year-olds to drive 2.5-tonne SUVs.
This can be a stunning proposal, rooted in political pursuits somewhat than information, and will have dire penalties for all highway customers, particularly those that stroll and cycle.
Proposals are being thought-about to amend the EU Driving License Directive, a regulation on how driving license coaching is applied and administered in EU international locations. This features a truck driving license.
At the moment, an individual should be not less than 21 years previous to start coaching as a truck driver. Governments can decrease the age to 18 if the particular person passes preliminary theoretical checks. About half of the EU international locations enable this.
The Transport Committee is contemplating amendments that will require all EU international locations to decrease the age restrict for truck driving coaching to 17 years previous, offered they’re accompanied by an grownup over the age of 24.
What issues may come up?
Statistics present crash charges drop sharply as we age, elevating issues in regards to the potential influence of the proposed amendments on highway security.
Analysis by the German Insurance coverage Affiliation exhibits that younger truck drivers aged 18 to twenty years are at important danger of collisions, exhibiting that they trigger about 25% of accidents based mostly on the variety of license holders, with this danger rising with age. Cut back it to about 1. 2% for older age teams.
We additionally know that it may be troublesome for adults accompanying younger drivers to stay alert within the cab always. We’re beginning to see this extra continuously, with self-driving vehicles colliding with pedestrians and cyclists, even with individuals within the driver’s seat. Operating over a bicyclist whereas turning proper at an intersection is a typical sort of truck collision. They occur in a short time and usually tend to occur to youthful drivers.
Now let’s discuss children driving heavy autos.
The Transport Committee is contemplating a legislative modification that will enable B1 license holders to drive autos weighing as much as 2.5 tonnes however at a velocity restrict of 45km/h. The B1 license is obtainable from the age of 16 and is normally used for low-speed four-wheel drive autos weighing between 0.2 and 0.4 tonnes.
If the modification is handed, any 16-year-old with a B1 license will have the ability to drive a automobile weighing as much as 2.5 tonnes. This opens the door for younger drivers to get behind the wheel of bigger autos akin to Ford Rangers and Ram 1500s, each weighing underneath 2.5 tons.
There may be proof that younger drivers of passenger SUVs and vehicles, significantly these aged 16-17, face twice the chance of crashes as these aged 18-19. When Finland relaxed its age restrictions, they discovered that 17-year-olds accounted for about 8% of all highway violations, despite the fact that they made up solely 0.3% of all driving license holders.
The proposed modification I’ve seen states that 16-year-olds with a B1 driver’s license can drive autos weighing as much as 2.5 tons, offered that “the utmost velocity is technically restricted to 45 km/h.” But it surely’s unclear what “technical limitations” means. Would this be the case if an impatient 16-year-old driver had a cruise management button with an off change subsequent to his finger? Pace limiter gadgets are simple to put in, however equally simple to beat.
As well as, the transportation committee desires to extend the load restrict for Class B autos (typical passenger vehicles) to 4.25 tons. The argument is that it’s meant to permit individuals to drive new electrical vans with a B license. However lawmakers are enabling it for all “different gasoline” autos.
At the moment, EU regulation restricts B license holders to driving autos weighing not more than 3.5 tonnes. That is the one barrier to permitting American-style heavy vehicles into Europe. But when this barrier is damaged down, Europe’s streets may see very giant electrical vehicles.
These amendments tackle actual points, however within the improper method.
There is no such thing as a scarcity of certified truck drivers, simply poor working circumstances, low pay, and lengthy hours. Older youngsters who stay in rural areas with fewer transportation choices needn’t drive 2.5-ton autos; they want higher public transportation and safer strolling and biking infrastructure. If a weight exemption is required for giant electrical vans, it needs to be clearly acknowledged in EU regulation, as 4.25 tonnes is considerably heavier than any automotive on the EU market.
MEPs can have the possibility to vote on the modifications in plenary session within the final week of February.
If they really care about highway security for all EU residents, then they need to reject these amendments and ask the Transport Committee to take politics out of the equation and develop smart insurance policies that don’t endanger lives.