Proposal allows 17-year-olds to drive unaccompanied in Denmark

Michelle Ellanora Toftgaard, who will turn 17 in September, is a second-year student at Vordingborg Gymnasium. Living in Sallerup, just 20 minutes from Vordingborg, she has started learning to drive with hopes of easing her daily commute. Under a new government proposal, young people like Michelle may be allowed to drive without a parent beside them.

“For me, this change would make getting to and from school much easier,” she said. Currently, bus 640 takes 20 minutes to reach Vordingborg Station, but additional waiting time and dependence on bus schedules limit her freedom. She estimates spending up to two hours a day waiting for buses. “If I could drive myself, I could save an hour to an hour and a half each day,” Michelle noted. This would also reduce her reliance on her parents for transportation to social activities.

The government’s proposal allows 17-year-olds with a driving license to drive unaccompanied under certain conditions: they can only drive between 5 AM and 8 PM, and new drivers will face stricter penalties for driving with a blood alcohol level above 0.2.

The principal of Vordingborg Gymnasium, Jakob Stubgaard, acknowledged that many students, like Michelle, face lengthy commutes due to limited public transportation. He pointed out that the overall decline in public transport has created significant challenges for students, especially when buses are canceled or delayed.

While some listeners from DR do not see major issues with the proposal, many hope for improvements in public transport services instead.