Finland to ban 17-year-olds from driving at night

Seventeen-year-olds in Finland will soon be prohibited from driving between midnight and 5 a.m., according to a new traffic law set to take effect at the end of May, reports public broadcaster Yle.

The restriction is part of broader changes to the country’s driver’s licensing regulations, most of which will enter into force on May 29. The nighttime driving ban applies to all 17-year-olds, even those with special age-exemption permits.

Additionally, vehicles driven by minors must be marked by October to facilitate enforcement. The law also tightens rules for exemption permits, requiring that destinations for hobbies or activities be at least seven kilometres away by foot and that travel there occurs at least four times per week.

The changes aim to improve road safety for young drivers, though further details on enforcement and penalties were not specified in the announcement from the Ministry of Transport and Communications.