The survival of the Swedish A-tractor is now also supported by the EU Parliament’s transport committee. There are therefore good chances for an A-tractor at 45 kilometers per hour – in a few years.
On Thursday, the committee voted through its view on the European Commission’s proposed updated driver’s license rules. And just as the EU’s transport ministers did on Monday, the members supported a special B1 driving license for 16-year-olds, with the opportunity to drive cars weighing under 2,500 kilograms at a maximum speed of 45 kilometers per hour.
However, a proper driving test is required to get the card. And that only applies in the youngster’s home country, according to information to TT from one of the parliament’s press spokesmen.
Current Swedish rules only require a completed theory test to be allowed to drive an A-tractor – on the other hand, only at 30 kilometers per hour. However, the rule has received criticism from the EU Commission, which questioned the Swedish system.
The fact that both the transport committee and the member states now stand behind the A-tractor card still gives it great chances to survive the compromise negotiations that will soon begin to smooth out the final rules.
Otherwise, the lines of the parliament and the member states differ a lot. For example, the parliament wants to see mandatory medical examinations at least every 15 years when driving licenses are renewed, while the member states only want medical checks when the driving license is issued. The EU Parliament also wants to set a joint alcohol limit of 0.2 per thousand for young people during the driving license trial period.
However, the vote in the committee was even: the final proposal was approved by only one vote: 22 to 21.
The new rules are not expected to enter into force for two to four years at the earliest.