The decree was published in the Official Journal on December 20. From now on, people aged 17 will be able to obtain a driving license, compared to 18 previously. A welcome measure for young people aged 17 waiting to be able to ride as well as for the most isolated among them. This is in fact what Elisabeth Borne defends, who evokes the problem of certain regions poorly served by public transport, and the difficulty of integrating into active life that results from it.

When the draft decree was announced this summer, driving schools sounded the alarm about the risk of being attacked at the start of 2024. What is the situation at this stage? In a press release, Patrick Mirouse, president of the French Driving School (EFC) discusses this situation which is currently manageable: “At the end of the year, we are starting to receive demand, but still no tidal wave at this hour. Shall we take stock in the first half of 2024? France would in fact be divided into three zones: a first where the waiting times to obtain the permit are short, another zone where the situation is average, and the departments with the highest densities where the delays can be long.

Another concern is the potential increase in the number of accidents that would result from this: “We had asked to make post-license training compulsory, until now optional. This would have made it possible to raise awareness and alert young people to risky behavior and dangers of the road. Unfortunately, we have not been heard on this point” also affirms Patrick Mirouse.