Minister of mobility Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) is considering banning high-powered cars for young drivers, following the example of France. The French parliament approved a law at the end of July that prohibits new drivers from driving a powerful car for up to 3 years after obtaining their licence. The exact horsepower limit has yet to be decided. In Italy such a ban exists already.
Vias has conducted an initial analysis of Belgian accident figures involving drivers aged between 18 and 24. Only 3 per cent of these incidents involved a car with more than 200 horsepower. For the entire population, this accounts for 6 per cent of accidents.
“From a philosophical standpoint, we can understand the proposal,” says spokesperson Stef Willems of Vias. “Young people have an increased risk of an accident, so it might be a good idea not to give them a powerful car immediately. But there are practical objections. Most families only have one car available. And there are other factors besides power. An electric car with high power is not the same as a small, lightweight sports car, which with fewer horsepower might actually encourage faster driving.”
According to mobility organisation VAB, a technical solution may be available in the future. “New Volvos, for example, already have two keys,” says Gert Verhoeven. “One of these can be programmed to, for instance, limit the maximum speed.” Danny Smagghe of drivers association Touring believes the focus should not be on the vehicle but on behaviour. “Are we talking about reckless driving, drunkenness, or excessive speed? We should concentrate on education and behaviour control,” he says.
VAB also sees a possible option in reforming driver training. The organisation, which also operates driving schools, suggests drawing inspiration from motorcycle training. Eighteen-year-olds can only obtain a licence for a less powerful motorcycle. The higher powers become available at a later age. “And currently, the insurance premium already acts as a deterrent,” says Gert Verhoeven. “Insurers base their premiums on the vehicle’s power and the driver’s age.”
The initial translation of this content was generated by AI. All facts, context, and language have subsequently been verified and validated by a human editorial team.
Read more