The Netherlands is one of the safest countries in Europe. Only Sweden and the United Kingdom are safer. We have every right to be proud of this. But it is no reason to be complacent. There is a lot more to be done to improve it. There are now about 1000 road deaths a year and tens of thousands of injured. This number must be reduced. The ideas in this discussion memorandum for a new driving licence policy could make a substantial contribution to this. Increasing road safety is the main subject of this memorandum. In it, the emphasis is on the accompanying of novice drivers, especially the young. This is because, relatively speaking, the most casualties occur in this group. However, road safety is not the only purpose. What is also important here is a better service to the nine million driving licence holders in the Netherlands. It strives to achieve both goals for costs to the citizen that are as low as possible. This discussion memorandum is divided into the following: (1) Getting the driving licence. Proposals to decrease the number of accidents among novice drivers, (2) Keeping the driving licence. Proposals to improve the safety and service to licence holders, (3) The driving licence document. Proposals to shape the next generation of driving licences, and (4) an overview of discussion points. The proposals mentioned do not stand separately from each other. It is emphatically the intention to consider the mutual cohesion, and to discuss it. To achieve this, the memorandum will be offered to the bodies and organizations involved. The results of the discussion will serve as input for a coherent cabinet driving licence policy plan for the coming years.
Abstract