German traffic ministers will pressure federal traffic minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) at their upcoming spring conference next week to improve his driving‑license reform. According to the Sunday edition of the “Rheinische Post” the ministers see the recently detailed provisions as a solid starting point but stress that the impacts-especially regarding road safety, cost savings, and how the measures interact-need to be discussed in detail. They underline that safety considerations must be fully taken into account during implementation.
The ministers welcome the abolition of mandatory traditional classroom lessons, but warn that digitally acquired knowledge may not adequately provide the behavioural competence required for safety-critical content. They also reject a total shift to simulator‑only training or a complete waiver of required driving‑school trips, instead suggesting that the reduction of compulsory special‑driving lessons should be left to the discretion of individual schools.
When it comes to involving close relatives in driving instruction, the transport ministry is urged to remain open-minded in future proceedings and to reconsider the proposed model of civilian‑training possibilities.
Schnieder intends to make the licence cheaper by significantly tightening the guidelines and regulations. The amendment to driving‑school training will be a key topic at the transport ministry conference.
