The “accompanied driving from 17” regulation enables young drivers to gain experience in road traffic at an early stage. But what happens in the event of an accident and who is liable in such situations?
Higher risk of accidents for young drivers
The prospect of driving a car at the age of 17 is equally tempting for many young people and their parents. Novice drivers can drive a car in traffic at a young age and benefit from the experience of the accompanying person in order to be able to participate in traffic safely and responsibly. The experience of accompanying persons is an important support for novice drivers, because their lack of experience in road traffic is the main cause of an increased risk of accidents for young drivers, as the General German Automobile Club (ADAC) reports. According to an analysis by HUK-COBURG, accompanied driving from the age of 17 can reduce the risk of accidents for new drivers by 20 percent.
Requirements for a driving license from 17 and the accompanying person
In order to obtain a driving license from the age of 17, young people must meet certain requirements, as the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) reports. With these requirements, young people in Germany can obtain a driving license from the age of 17 and drive on the road, but only when accompanied by their approved companion. The applicant must be at least 17 years old. As with any driving licence, prospective drivers must take a theoretical test and then complete practical driving lessons, at the end of which there is a practical test.
A crucial component of the accompanied driving from 17 program is being accompanied by an experienced driver. The accompanying person must be at least 30 years old, have held a valid driving license of the relevant class for at least five years and must not have committed any serious traffic violations in the last two years, according to a publication by the BMDV.
Liability questions in the event of accidents with a driver’s license from the age of 17
If an accident occurs while a young person with a driver’s license aged 17 or over is driving, some special liability considerations come to the fore, as the legal advice portal anwalt.de reports. As a rule, the driver who caused the accident, the owner of the vehicle and the liability insurance company are jointly liable. The vehicle’s compulsory third-party insurance should cover the damage caused in an accident. This applies regardless of the age of the driver.
The young driver, if he behaved culpably, can be held liable for the consequences of the accident because he is considered the driver of the vehicle within the meaning of the Road Traffic Act (StVG), as anwalt.de reports. The accompanying person, on the other hand, only counts as a passenger and is therefore generally exempt from liability unless there is an active intervention in the driving process. According to anwalt.de, a possible scenario for this case is a situation in which the accompanying person grabbed the steering wheel. In this case, the driver and accompanying person would be jointly and severally liable.
Editorial team finanzen.net
Image sources: Andrey Chmelyov / Shutterstock.com, Alexander Chaikin / Shutterstock.com