About one third of young people in Finland believe that getting a driving license is too easy, according to a recent survey commissioned by Fintraffic, the country’s traffic management agency. The poll surveyed over 800 individuals aged 15 to 24, of whom 463 already hold a driving license.
Road safety concerns
Fintraffic CEO Pasi Anteroinen expressed concern that the perceived ease of obtaining a license could compromise road safety. Finland currently lags behind other Nordic countries in youth traffic safety, he noted. “At present, there is too little instruction,” Anteroinen said. “The proposed law would increase it by three theory lessons and one driving lesson. Although the increase is small, it’s a step in the right direction.”
The Finnish government plans to amend the Driving Licence Act to improve road safety for young drivers. The bill will be debated in Parliament next week and, if approved, will take effect on 1 June.
In addition to the slight increase in required lessons, the bill will tighten the rules for underage drivers seeking an exemption license and introduce a nighttime driving ban for 17-year-old permit holders.
Exemption licenses under scrutiny
Finland’s legal driving age is 18, but a 2018 law allowed 17-year-olds to obtain driving licenses under certain conditions. Currently, nine out of 10 applicants qualify for an exemption license, and around 20,000 17-year-olds hold such permits—nearly a third of their age group. Anteroinen questioned whether these licenses can still be considered “exemptions.”
Nighttime driving ban
The government’s proposed nighttime ban would prevent 17-year-old license holders from driving between midnight and 5 a.m. “Two out of five fatal traffic accidents involving young people happen at night. A nighttime driving ban is an easy way to try to prevent nearly half of fatal crashes,” Anteroinen explained.
The survey found that 45 percent of young people supported the nighttime ban, while 35 percent opposed it. The bill represents a legislative U-turn aiming to balance youth driving freedom with safety. Parliament will debate the proposal next week, and if passed, the changes will come into effect on 1 June.
