EU plans to let kids drive are a wheel concern

Proposal will drop driving age to 16

- SEAN McCARTHAIGH

AN INTERNATIONAL transport safety body has expressed alarm at EU plans to allow children as young as 16 to drive cars fitted with a speed-limiting device.

The European Transport Safety Council - whose members include the Road Safety Authority in Ireland has called on the European Commission to drop the proposal that would allow children aged 16 drive vehicles limited to a maximum speed of 45km/h.

The controversial measure has been proposed as part of a major revision of EU rules on driving licences in order to "address mobility issues in remote areas.

It follows on from an initiative by the Finnish government in 2020, which was scrapped as it was illegal under current EU legislation, that would have allowed children as young as 15 to drive cars up to 1.5 tonnes as long as they were fitted with a speed limiter set at 60km/h.

SPEED

The ETSC said: "The new EU rules would allow Finland and any other member state to go ahead with a 'cars for kids' programme, albeit with a lower speed limit and a slightly higher minimum age."