Underage drivers can make required signs as shops sell out

Signs identifying underage drivers have sold out at some Finnish shops after a surge in demand, but drivers can make their own if they meet the same requirements, Yle reports.

From October 1, drivers under 18 must display a green-and-yellow sign on vehicles they drive with a category B licence. The requirement is part of an amendment to Finland’s Driving Licence Act and is intended to help police monitor traffic.

The sign must be hexagonal, 15 to 20 centimetres in diameter, green and yellow, and bordered in white. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom, says the colours do not have to match exact specifications, but should be close to the original. A homemade sign can be laminated, though Traficom advises using a matte finish to avoid glare.

Drivers must not set off without the sign. Driving without one can result in a traffic violation fee of 100 euros.

Some shops have run out because of the spike in demand and have ordered more. Miniman, a store in Seinäjoki, said it had placed a new order. A Prisma store received a shipment of 30 signs on October 1 after temporarily running out.