Cheaper driver’s license: Safety experts warn against lowering standards

Amid the debate over making driver’s licenses more affordable, the German Road Safety Council (DVR) has warned against compromising traffic safety. “The discussion on the affordability of obtaining a driver’s license must not be conducted at the expense of safety,” DVR President Manfred Wirsch said on Friday ahead of the upcoming Traffic Court Conference in Goslar. The most effective way to reduce costs and improve learning outcomes, he added, is a “quality offensive” in driving school training.

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Such improvements could help “reduce expensive repeat tests,” Wirsch noted. Any reduction in safety standards, however, would be “out of the question.”

In mid-October, Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) presented key points for reforming driver training aimed primarily at lowering the cost of obtaining a license. He recently said implementation could be possible by early 2027, provided coordination with the federal states proceeds smoothly.

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Under the Transport Ministry’s plans, the question catalog for the theory exam would be shortened, mandatory special driving lessons reduced, and theory classes made fully digital. Test-phase practice drives with family members are also being considered.