A rise in accidents involving foreign ski tourists driving on icy Norwegian roads has sparked a political debate in northern Norway, where a regional politician is proposing a far-reaching measure: mandatory winter driving courses for tourists.
Each winter, thousands of visitors—many of them from the neighbours Denmark and Sweden—drive to Norway for ski holidays. Cars are packed with skis and luggage, and families head north toward mountains and fjords. What often awaits them, however, are road and weather conditions far more demanding than those they are used to at home. This is increasingly evident to Norwegian emergency and roadside assistance services.
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Accidents are becoming a huge problem in Northern Norway
Viking Roadside Assistance in Tromsø reports around a 25 percent increase in call-outs early this winter compared with last year. The number of vehicles leaving the road has risen even more sharply. According to tow truck operator Jonas Petrosius, the pattern is clear when conditions deteriorate: on days with snow, ice and strong winds, the majority of drivers ending up in ditches or snowdrifts are tourists.
Traffic safety experts stress that the issue is not reckless behavior, but lack of experience. Many visitors come from countries with milder winters, where snow is quickly cleared and salted. In northern Norway, conditions can change within minutes, and icy mountain roads leave little margin for error.
Against this backdrop, the Nordland Traffic Safety Committee is now working on a controversial proposal. Its chair, Richard Dagsvik—who also serves as regional councillor for transport—wants to introduce a requirement that foreign tourists complete an intensive winter driving course before being allowed to drive in particularly challenging winter conditions. The proposal has been reported by Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
Dagsvik argues that it makes little sense for drivers from countries with limited snow and ice exposure to freely access some of Europe’s most demanding winter roads. In his view, the lack of political action has already resulted in accidents, dangerous situations and significant strain on emergency services.
The idea has raised concerns within the tourism industry, which fears that additional requirements could deter visitors, including the many Danish and Swedish tourists who contribute significantly to Norway’s ski resorts each year. At the same time, the Norwegian government has pointed out that international regulations make it difficult to impose special rules specifically targeting foreign drivers. State Secretary Tom Kalsås from the Ministry of Transport has already noted that there are clear legal constraints.
For ski tourists, the debate raises an obvious question: is winter driving experience from home really sufficient when faced with Norwegian mountain roads in blowing snow and sheet ice? Whether or not a mandatory course becomes reality, the discussion highlights a broader point—driving in a Norwegian winter demands more than winter tyres and good intentions.
