Driving licence at 16 in San Marino? The PSD reopens the debate. The Party of Socialists and Democrats (Psd) has put on the table the possibility of allowing sixteen-year-olds to drive cars as well, through a strictly regulated and gradual process. The starting point is a comparison with minicars, which can already be driven at a young age but which, according to the party, come with high costs and raise several safety concerns.
«At 16, you can drive a minicar. But not a small car. Are we sure that still makes sense? It’s a question we want to put on the table,» reads the statement released by the Psd.
This is actually a topic that had already emerged on Titano roughly twenty years ago. During the 2006-2008 legislature, discussions had begun on the possibility of lowering the age for driving cars, but the process was never completed, partly due to the early end of that legislature. Since then, the Psd points out, both cars and safety systems have changed significantly, and the minicar market has expanded.
It is precisely on minicars that a substantial part of the party’s reasoning focuses. The party notes that many families start considering purchasing one when their children turn 14, with prices for a new vehicle that can reach and exceed 15,000 euros. Added to this is the issue of occupant protection: the document cites Euro NCAP, which reportedly found generally low protection levels in the quadricycles it tested compared to standard cars.
There is also an issue directly linked to the characteristics of San Marino’s road network. Uphill and downhill stretches, curves, and roads where overtaking is often difficult, the Psd argues, make the performance gap between minicars and regular cars particularly noticeable. This speed difference can lead to tailbacks, sudden braking, impatience and risky overtaking manoeuvres.
Hence the question posed by the party: if a 16-year-old can already move independently on the roads with a minicar, why not discuss the possibility of driving a small car instead? The idea would not be to simply bring forward the category B licence, but to build a system with clear limits: small, low-powered cars, zero tolerance on alcohol, specific training and, potentially, an initial phase of accompanied driving. «Not a category B licence brought forward by two years. A gradual path towards the licence,» the Psd clarifies.
The party also points to what is happening beyond San Marino’s borders, recalling that accompanied driving is already allowed in Italy from age 17, and that new European rules envisage the possibility of obtaining a category B licence at 17, with accompanied driving until reaching adulthood.
For now, the proposal is primarily aimed at opening a political and technical discussion. The Psd is calling for the debate already underway in San Marino on road traffic regulations to be used as an opportunity to involve families, young people, driving schools, law enforcement and technical experts, comparing data, costs and safety levels.
«Because in the end, the question is very concrete: is it more reasonable for a family to spend 15,000 euros on a minicar, or to allow them to buy a small, low-powered car instead, while putting the young person through a much more rigorous training process?» Twenty years after the first attempt, the Psd is therefore calling for the discussion to be reopened.
