The government presented a long-awaited proposal on Thursday morning that would allow 17-year-olds to drive cars without supervision. This announcement was made at a press conference in Skælskør, where the Minister of City, Rural, and Church Affairs, Morten Dahlin (Venstre – the Liberal Party), elaborated that the initiative aims to increase freedom and mobility for young people in areas with significant distances. Dahlin emphasized the benefits for high school students and apprentices, who would have improved opportunities to reach both school, work, and leisure activities.
However, during the press conference, concerns regarding traffic safety were raised, which Dahlin had difficulty addressing unequivocally. One of the critical questions posed by a reporter from TV 2 (a Danish television station) was whether the government had calculated the risk of increased traffic accidents. Dahlin acknowledged that it is challenging to predict the consequences and only mentioned general risks associated with increased traffic volume without providing specific figures.
TV 2 referenced a projection from the Danish Road Directorate (Vejdirektoratet), which estimates that the government’s proposal could result in an additional 3.8 traffic fatalities and 33 serious injuries each year. However, these calculations do not consider the proposed zero tolerance policy regarding alcohol for the first three years after obtaining a driver’s license.
Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen (Venstre) stated via email to TV 2 that precise consequence calculations cannot be made, as the outcomes are too uncertain. Consequently, the debate continues regarding both the benefits and potential risks of the new legislative proposal.