Today, the traffic rules are tightened for anyone who drives an A-tractor, which has become an increasingly popular means of transport among teenagers. Despite the fact that accidents have escalated in recent years, the young people TV4 Nyheterna talks to – are not so impressed.
– I don’t think the rules will affect, says Wincent Kästel.
There are today over 50,000 registered A-tractors, also called epa, in Sweden. Recently, there have been several accidents, most recently in August a 14-year-old boy died after colliding with an A-tractor in Växjö.
In an attempt to get at the rampant accident rates, the rules are now being tightened. From today everyone must use a seat belt and have their own seat, i.e. not sit on each other’s lap. Later this year, the plan is that there will also be a requirement for winter tires.
“I don’t think they will follow it”
But the young people that TV4 Nyheterna has spoken to are not so impressed by the new rules.
– I think that if you now have to wear a seat belt, you could probably have a back seat as well, so you can still have friends with you but that everyone is wearing a seat belt, says Herman Lindholm.
Another who is skeptical is Mira Eriksson, who does not believe that everyone will follow the new rules.
– The older people who have had epa longer do not think I will follow it. I think more that it is the younger people who are not used to traffic, she says.
The police: clear legislation is needed
The maximum speed for an A tractor is now 30 kilometers per hour. The speed limit is introduced as a supplement to an existing rule: that an A-tractor must not be designed to be able to drive at more than 30 kilometers per hour, writes TT.
Unlike the young people, the police have a different view of the new regulations that are now coming into force.
– I think it is good, there is a need for clarity in the legislation around A-tractors. Partly for us traffic police, but also for police in general, says Anna Stenholm, group leader for the traffic police in Skaraborg and continues:
– Also for the young people, so that they know what applies.
Facts: A tractors
An A-tractor is a converted car, which according to the law cannot be driven faster than 30 kilometers per hour.
To drive an A-tractor, a moped driving license (AM card) or a tractor license is required. The age limit for obtaining an AM driving license is 15 years and for a tractor license 16 years.
On 15 July 2020, the regulations were changed so that even cars with automatic transmission can be converted to A-tractors. This made it easier to convert more modern cars into A tractors and has contributed to the large increase in A tractors.
Since 2019, the number of A tractors has more than doubled. At the end of 2022, there were just under 53,000 A tractors registered in Sweden, an increase of 18 percent compared to the previous year. In all of Sweden, there are 5 A tractors per 1,000 inhabitants.
The new rules that the government has decided on mean that:
+ Passengers must travel in a seat designated for passengers,
+ There may only be one passenger per such seat,
+ Anyone traveling in an A-tractor must wear a seat belt, and
+ Maximum permitted speed is 30 kilometers per hour
Source: TT / The Government, The Swedish Transport Agency, Trafa.