France to Lower Driving License Age to 17 Years Old

The French government will lower the age required for obtaining a driving license to 17 years, as opposed to the current 18, revealed Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Tuesday to Brut online publication, clarifying that this provision will come into effect in January 2024.

"From January 2024, we will be able to take our driving tests and get behind the wheel at 17 years old" rather than at 18, and under the same conditions as now, said the head of the government, emphasizing that this measure would be a "real plus," especially for young students.

At present, a young person can pass their test at 17 with adult accompaniment, but they will only be able to drive on their 18th birthday. Therefore, this threshold will be lowered by one year.

The €500 grant given to students for license funding will also be extended to professional high school students, added the head of the government.

Despite the fact that traffic accidents are the leading cause of death among young people aged 18 to 24, Elisabeth Borne promised to be "very attentive [ve] at the necessary level" to receive permission.

Currently, Germany has had positive experience since 2012 with a law that allows 17-year-old teenagers to obtain driving licenses. This regulation has drastically reduced the number of accidents among young drivers who have just started driving. Young drivers are allowed to drive exclusively accompanied by adults for the first year.

In the EU countries, 16-year-old drivers can only drive with their parents.

The age of 18 is most commonly used as the threshold for young motorists. Over 120 countries issue licenses from the age of 18. This includes Austria, Belgium, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

Recall that in March of this year, the EU proposed to digitalize driving licenses. EU Transport Commissioner Adina Valean presented the so-called road safety package, proposals for new EU regulatory rules intended to reduce the number of traffic accidents on European roads.

"The new rules will make the plastic card a thing of the past. We want the EU to move to digital driving licenses that will work across all borders in the European Union," said the commissioner.

According to the European Commission, last year alone, more than 20,000 people died on EU roads. The majority of victims were pedestrians, cyclists, scooter drivers, and light moped riders. The EU aims to achieve zero fatalities on European roads by 2050.