Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

DRIVING

Increasing number of drivers in Sweden lose licence

The Transport Agency announced on Wednesday that it had revoked the driving licences of 17,779 motorists during the first half of 2018.

Published: 11 July 2018 19:45 CEST
Increasing number of drivers in Sweden lose licence
Photo: Jonas Ekströmer / TT
That figure represents a nearly eight percent increase over the same period last year, when 16,514 driving licences were revoked. 
 
The most common reason was speeding, the agency said via press release. Running red lights and driving while using a mobile phone were also high on the list. Sweden's ban on the use of mobile phones in the car came into effect on February 1st, but evidence indicates that many motorists are either unaware of the change or unwilling to conform to the new law. 
 
 
Despite the significant increase, agency spokesperson Kalle Molnar said the figures should not be taken as evidence that Swedes are becoming worse drivers. 
 
“Compared to the same period in 2017, we have revoked more driving licences but seen from a long-term perspective, I think that the number of licence revocations during the first half of 2018 is normal,” he said. 
 
 
 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

DRIVING

EXPLAINED: When can a child sit in the front seat of a car in Switzerland?

Babies and children must be safely secured in a child’s car seat designed for their weight and age group whenever they travel in a car in Switzerland. We look at the rules around driving with children.

Published: 13 April 2023 11:17 CEST
EXPLAINED: When can a child sit in the front seat of a car in Switzerland?

In Switzerland, a simple rule for taking children in motor vehicles has been in place for a good two decades: Every child up to a height of 150 cm or the age of 12 must travel in a suitable child seat.

Its Austrian neighbour has even stricter rules in place. Babies and children in Austria must be correctly secured in a child’s seat up to the age of 14 if they are below 135 cm in height.

The German law takes a more relaxed approach and regulates that children from the age of 12 or those that are taller than 150 cm can ride in the vehicle without a child seat – with the appropriate seat belt, of course.

When can a child sit in the front?

According to the law in Switzerland, once a child has reached a height of 150 cm, they can sit anywhere in the car with or without a child or booster seat.

However, a child needs to reach a minimum height of 150 cm for the safety belts to guarantee their safety in a way that the neck is not constricted while driving in the event of sudden braking or an accident.

In principle, children are allowed to sit on the front passenger seat regardless of their age, however, this is not recommended by experts who argue that children are much safer in the back of the car. Furthermore, if a vehicle is equipped with airbags, rear-facing car seats may only be used if the front airbag on the passenger’s side is deactivated.

A driver at the Stelvio Pass, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Switzerland.

A driver at the Stelvio Pass, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Switzerland. Photo by Jaromír Kavan on Unsplash

Can I be fined for my child travelling without an appropriate car seat?

You can and you will. The fine for transporting an unsecured child under the age of 12 is 60 francs, which, given the risk driving without an appropriate child seat poses to your child’s life, is mild. 

But what about public transport?

Though this may seem illogical to some, Switzerland does not have any safety laws dictating that car seats be used on its buses, meaning it is not uncommon to see mothers standing in the aisle of a packed bus with a baby in a sling while struggling to hold on to a pole for stability.

Though politicians did briefly discuss equipping buses with baby and child seats in 2017 to avoid potential risks to minors, nothing came of it. Ultimately, supplying buses with special seats or introducing seat belts proved unrealistic given the number of seats and considering how often people hop on and off a bus – there is a stop almost every 300 metres in Switzerland.

Instead, drivers are now better informed of the dangers posed to minors travelling on their vehicles and parents are advised to leave children in strollers and not load those with heavy shopping bags.

SHOW COMMENTS