CHANGES TO THE LICENSING SYSTEM IN SWEDEN

During the last decade, fewer young drivers have been killed or injured in Sweden. The decrease in numbers of killed and injured per 100,000 of population has been reduced by almost 50% since 1990. The reason for this is, however, not only that the drivers have become safer and better drivers. The main reason is that the number of licence holders in the lower age groups have decreased. The current structure of Swedish driver education is a program which can begin at the age of 16 and provide a full licence at 18. An application for a learner's permit and for a supervisor's permit must be sent to the authorities. A supervisor must have had a driving licence continuously for the past 5 years without it having been recalled by the authorities and must be at least 24 years old. Skid training is mandatory and the learner is otherwise free to choose between learning to drive with a lay instructor or a professional teacher. For the covering abstract see ITRD E109236.