For drivers, there was a lot of new things to deal with on January 1st this year. That's not all that the interest organization FDM thinks is cool.
Danes have been hit by new taxes on diesel and gasoline from January 1. In return, a requirement to renew a driver's license disappeared. And that is a problem, FDM believes.
Specifically, the law on driving licenses has been changed significantly.
The organization writes this on its website .
The change means that a simplification of the rules has come into effect. Before January 1, 2025, you had to take a new driving test if you wanted to renew a driving license that expired more than 3 years ago.
That is no longer the case. The rule regarding the controlling driving test has simply been scrapped. And that worries FDM.
The organization believes that it is now without consequences to drive around with an expired driving license. In any case, it requires being stopped by the police.
"In practice, almost nothing happens," writes FDM. The fact that the controlling driving test has now been thrown in the trash is not the only new thing on that account, however.
It is expected that the Danish Parliament will pass a law that changes the current companion system for the youngest drivers in this country, that is, 17-year-olds.
The government proposes that 17-year-olds should be able to drive alone during the day. In exchange for a blood alcohol limit of 0.2 being introduced for them. FDM believes that this is effectively zero tolerance.
– Since 2017, 17-year-olds have been able to sit behind the wheel of a car with a companion, and we have good experiences with the young drivers.
– Now we are giving them even better opportunities to get around to their educational institutions, internships and leisure jobs by letting them drive unaccompanied from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
– It will make a big difference in areas of the country where people are far apart and where buses do not run as often, says Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen (V) about the bill.
However, FDM is critical of the proposal. The organization refers to figures from the Danish Road Directorate, which show that the proposal will result in four additional people being killed in traffic every year. And that is four too many, FDM believes.
However, the government is also ready to make other drivers happy on other points. Another bill prohibits municipalities from setting speed limits on the majority of Danish roads. Read more about it here .
