It is a question that divides the waters.
The proposal was presented at a press conference on Thursday at 10 a.m., where Morten Dahlin (V), who is minister for rural areas, participated.
He has full confidence that 17-year-olds can manage to drive without a companion. He says that the proposal comes to make everyday life easier for families.
– This is about giving the 17-year-old high school student the opportunity to drive to and from school, he says to Ritzau.
He mentions as an example that it will give the 17-year-old apprentice carpenter the opportunity to both reach his apprenticeship and come to handball training after work.
– This will make a huge difference, especially for those who live where the distances are greatest, he says in a written comment to the media.
Predicts major accidents
Not everyone is equally enthusiastic about the proposal. The Council for Safe Traffic is one of them.
– Young people are already a vulnerable group, they are overrepresented in the accident statistics. They are more often involved in accidents, they drive faster than most adults, they use mobile phones more and they don’t always wear seat belts.
– So their risk behavior is greater than that of adults, because they have the experience that they can control it well, says Karina Petersen, Deputy Director of the Council for Safe Traffic.
The council acknowledges that there are challenges in rural areas, but the deputy director thinks the proposal has too high a price.
– Like the government, we have confidence in young people. But young people are at a place in life where they need some help, and they need some structure and some boundaries that make them take good care of themselves, she says.
She says that calculations have been made that show that more 17-year-olds will be killed and injured. Precisely, this will mean four 17-year-olds killed and 30 seriously injured per year. Today, that number is 0.8 17-year-olds killed in traffic per year.
– We think that is too high a price, she says.
Prefer current arrangement
Since 2017, 17-year-olds have been able to drive with an experienced driver of at least 30 years and with ten years’ driving license experience in the seat next to them.
– We are incredibly supportive of the current arrangement where you have a companion. They have brought in a companion because they know that when you put a 17-year-old behind the wheel, they are not as skilled and experienced as just an 18-year-old, says Karina Petersen.
Does one year make that much of a difference?
– Yes, because they are still teenagers, and they develop at lightning speed during those years, and their brains are simply not fully formed yet. So it’s going to have some pretty serious consequences for a lot of families.
Traffic researcher from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) Mette Møller calls the proposal to Ritzau a step in the wrong direction.
– I wear my traffic glasses, and all research shows that the younger you are, the greater the risk of getting into an accident, she tells the media.
Others welcome the initiative
According to Ritzau, Dansk Erhverv is positive about the proposal, where 17-year-olds can drive unaccompanied from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Branch director of Dansk Erhverv Transport, Jesper Kronborg, calls the initiative “a good step”.
– There are longer distances between houses in the countryside, and good transport options are essential to ensure mobility and thus an active life and opportunities in the countryside, he says.
In addition to the time limit, the government is also aiming for zero tolerance towards alcohol, TV2 reports.
Other drivers may drive with a blood alcohol level of up to 0.5.
2024-08-22 06:55:05
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