The EU Commission yesterday presented proposals to adapt driving licence rules and new provisions to facilitate the enforcement of traffic rules across borders.
More than 20,000 lives were lost on EU roads last year. The new rules will improve safety for all road users and allow young drivers in the EU to gain experience through accompanied driving from the age of 17.
In Austria and Germany, young drivers already are allowed to gain valuable driving experience under adult supervision in their first year of driving until the age of 18.
Austria goes one step further. Since 2003, the so-called "multi-phase training" has been mandatory by law for new drivers. This training is basically a 2nd training phase for new drivers of cars and motorbikes, in which 3 advanced training courses must be completed within one year after taking the driving test.
These include:
1. first perfection drive (2-4 months after obtaining driving licence)
2. driving safety training & traffic-psychological interview (3-9 months after driving licence)
3. second perfection drive (6-12 months after obtaining driving licence)
Current figures show that more and more novice drivers are failing their driving test.
We need to take countermeasures here.
So why not apply multiphase training in all EU Member States?
"Vision Zero" can only be achieved if we prepare novice drivers in the best possible way.
The EAC would welcome if other Member States adopt this multi-phase training from Austria in order to increase road safety for novice drivers in europe, because novice drivers are the drivers of the future.
We spoke to euronews. about this issue:
Find out more about the multi-phase training in Austria:
Press contact:
Gerrit Reichel
Senior Policy Officer, reichel@eaclubs.org
EAC European Automobile Clubs
Berlin Office:
Schöneberger Ufer 89 c/o DEVK
Postfach 610217
10923 Berlin
+49 172 1890658