1. ------IND- 2018 0289 FIN EN- ------ 20180713 --- --- PROJET

Government bill to parliament amending the Vehicles Act and the Driving Licence Act as well as certain related acts

MAIN CONTENTS OF THE BILL

This bill amends provisions of the Vehicles Act, the Driving Licence Act, the Road Traffic Act, the Motor Vehicle Tax Act, the Car Tax Act, the Fuel Levy Act and the Value Added Tax Act.

The aim of the bill is to permit a new mode of transport, especially for young people aged between 15 and 17, by introducing a new vehicle category. Young people are extremely mobile and often use mopeds or microcars. The lightweight vehicle would provide a new alternative to said vehicles. The aim of the bill is also to improve road safety for young people in particular.

The proposal would create a new category of vehicles, lightweight vehicles that would be vehicles of category T converted from passenger cars so that their speed is limited to 45 kilometres per hour. Lightweight vehicles could be driven with an AM licence as can microcars.

It is suggested that changes come into effect in November 2019.

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GENERAL EXPLANATION

Current situation

Mobility of young people

In 2010, there were approximately 220 000 mopeds and 4 300 microcars in use in traffic, whereas in 2017 the respective figures were 161 000 mopeds and 8 100 microcars. Young people use a moped or a scooter primarily for four types of trips: to visit friends, to go to school or a place of study, for leisure trips and to go to practice hobbies. Microcars are used for trips related to school or studies, visits and hobbies. Microcars are used for shopping trips and errands more often than mopeds.

In the current situation, young people travel approximately 37 km per person on an average weekday. Public transport accounts for approximately 12 km (32 %) of this amount and travel as a passenger in a car accounts for 17 km (45 %). Moped travel accounts for approximately 2.8 km/person (7.7 %) per day and microcar travel for 1.4 km/person (3.8 %). In addition to microcars, the use of quad tractors by young people has increased recently. Quad tractors have already replaced microcars to some degree since their prices have been competitive compared to microcars.

According to data of the Finnish Motor Insurers’ Centre, microcars were involved in 173 traffic accidents in 2008, nine of which caused personal injuries. Correspondingly, in 2009 there were 335 accidents, of which 22 led to personal injuries. From 2011 to 2015 there was an annual average of 1 004 traffic accidents involving microcar drivers. An average of 185 of these accidents per year involved personal injury. The increase in the amount of microcars has affected the increase in accidents.

Vehicle classification

Vehicle classification is regulated at the EU level in the so-called framework regulations concerning the administrative requirements for type-approval of vehicles. For category T vehicles, the classification is based on Regulation (EU) No 167/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approval and market surveillance of agricultural and forestry vehicles. The purpose of the regulation is to lay down harmonised rules for the placing on the market and surveillance of agricultural and forestry vehicles.

The regulation does not apply to the approval of individual vehicles, and thus procedures relating to them fall within the scope of national legislation of the Member States. The Member States also have a considerable degree of freedom, since no uniform administrative and technical requirements are defined for these vehicles. Nationally, this freedom has been applied in relation to tractor trailers. Their technical requirements are somewhat less strict than those for type-approved products, and a separate approval procedure is not required before putting these vehicles into use in traffic.

The technical requirements for tractors and their trailers are laid down in more detail in a regulation of the Finnish Transport Safety Agency (TRAFI/26407/03.04.03.00/2015: Construction and fittings of tractors, motorised machinery and off-road vehicles, their trailers, towed devices designed to be connected to vehicles other than cars, and vehicles drawn by animals) adopted pursuant to the Vehicle Act (1090/2002).

Provisions on driving licences

Provisions on driving licences and the requirements for obtaining them are laid down in the Driving Licence Act (386/2011) and the Government Decree on Driving Licences (423/2011). National legislation shall meet the minimum requirements of the European Union (EU) for driving licences other than for tractors and their classification, driving tests and licensing set out in Directive 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on driving licences (driving licence directive). The provisions on the driver of a tractor are not contained in EU legislation.

International comparison

In Sweden, a car may be modified into a tractor in the category A-traktor provided that it meets certain technical conditions. The detailed conditions are laid down in an instrument of a public authority (VVFS 2003:19, Vägverkets föreskrifter om bil ombyggd till traktor samt bil ombyggd till motorredskap klass II). The design speed of the vehicle shall be limited to 30 kilometres per hour, and the gear ratios in the transmission must be such that the vehicle can achieve a maximum speed of 10 km/h in first gear. The superstructure shall be modified so that it is obvious that the vehicle is no longer suitable for transporting passengers. However, there may be one seating position next to the driver.

In practice, these requirements mean that the modification can only be made to a limited number of vehicles. The age of the vehicle is not limited, and most of A tractors in the register are old. In addition to A tractors, older vehicles in the category EPA-traktor, built before 1 April 1975, are also in use in traffic.

An AM driving licence is required to drive an A tractor, similar to a microcar. 12 hours of mandatory driving licence training with an authorised trainer are required. The licence requirements are a theoretical exam and an age of 15 years.

According to information received from the Swedish Transport Analysis Agency (Trafa), an average of 8 700 A tractors were used in traffic from 2012 through 2016. The number of A tractors has, however, grown by 850 to 980 vehicles per year, so that 6 948 A tractors were in use in traffic in 2012 while in 2016 the respective figure was 10,601.

Based on materials of the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen), an A tractor was involved in an accident on 337 occasions between 2012 and 2016. Two of these accidents caused fatal injuries. Approximately three accidents leading to serious injuries and approximately 11 leading to moderate injuries occur annually. In total, under 70 accidents involving A tractors are reported to the police or to hospitals per year.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications is not aware of any similar solutions in use in other EU countries at present. In the 1990s, Germany still allowed the possibility to limit the speed of a passenger car to a maximum of 30 km/h, after which it could be classified as a disability aid for persons with restricted mobility, but this possibility has since been removed.

The category AM licence in other countries

Under the driving licence directive, the age limit for a category AM licence is 16 years, but it can be lowered to a minimum of 14 years or raised to a maximum of 18 years. An age limit of 16 years is in use, for instance, in England, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. An age limit of 15 years, equivalent to that in Finland, is in use in Spain, Iceland and Sweden. The age limit is 14 years in France and 18 years in Denmark. Outside Europe, a similar category AM licence is used at least in Canada, where the age limit is 14 years.

In most of the aforementioned countries, obtaining a category AM driving licence requires either mandatory driving training or theoretical training or both. The most extensive training obligation is in force in Denmark, which requires 22 hours of theoretical training and 12 hours of driving training. The Netherlands and Spain, in turn, do not require any mandatory training.

Objectives and main proposals of the bill

Objectives of the bill

The aim of the bill is to permit a new mode of transport for young people aged between 15 and 17 by introducing a new vehicle category. Young people are extremely mobile and often use mopeds or microcars. The lightweight vehicle would provide a new alternative to said vehicles for young people.

The aim of the bill is also to improve road safety for young people in particular. Young people often use mopeds and microcars, which are not as safe as passenger cars in an accident, particularly in the case of mopeds.

Main proposals

The proposal would create a new category of vehicles, lightweight vehicles, that would be vehicles of category T converted from passenger cars so that their speed is limited. For traffic safety reasons, the following limitations are proposed for these vehicles:

Maximum age of the vehicle

A lightweight vehicle may be modified from a passenger car that was put into use after 2014. However, a passenger car whose year of commissioning ended more than 10 years ago may not be modified into a lightweight vehicle. Lightweight vehicles would primarily be used by young drivers. Newer cars are safer and more environmentally friendly than older cars due to the development of technology and regulations. The aim of the limitations is to ensure that these drivers in particular could benefit from cars that are newer than the average and thus also safer and more environmentally friendly. In terms of safety, the limitation would enhance the safety of other road users in addition to that of the driver and passengers. Binding the limitation to the age of the vehicle and not only to a certain model year guarantees that the benefit will remain as technology develops further.

Unladen weight

Under the proposal, the permissible maximum unladen weight of a lightweight vehicle would be 1 500 kilograms. The limitation aims to exclude cars that are problematic in terms of pedestrian safety and that are taller and larger, such as sport utility vehicles.

Speed limitation

The permissible maximum design speed of lightweight vehicles is proposed to be limited to 45 kilometres per hour. The speed limitation is aimed at reducing both accident risk and the consequences of a possible accident. The speed limitation would have a positive effect on the traffic safety of both the drivers and passengers of lightweight vehicles and of other road users.

The speed limitation should be implemented so that the limitation would not be easy to roll back, and the surveillance of the functioning of the limitation should also be simple. Experience on limiting vehicle speed has been gained in relation to mopeds, microcars and heavy equipment, among others. Speed limitation devices suited for use in passenger cars are already available on the market.

Driving licence

Under the proposal, a lightweight vehicle may be driven with a category AM driving licence, identical to that required for a microcar. Therefore, the same requirement for a theoretical test and a driving test applied to microcars applies also to lightweight vehicles.

Taxation

The current tax provisions related to transport mostly do not concern vehicles registered in category T. Excluding lightweight vehicles from tax legislation would create an economic incentive to register passenger cars as lightweight vehicles, which could cause a negative effect on the tax revenue of the State. Due to the incentive, the number of lightweight vehicles could increase from the current estimate.

Under the proposal, lightweight vehicles would be taxed like passenger cars. Registering a vehicle as a lightweight vehicle would therefore not affect its rate of vehicle tax, motor vehicle tax, fuel levy or the right to deduct value added tax. This would remove a detrimental tax incentive and safeguard in practice the equitable taxation of similar vehicles and the tax revenue of the State. Thus it would also be simple to restore a vehicle registered as a lightweight vehicle to passenger car status, since the measure would have no tax-related consequences.

Inspection and registration

Under the proposal, a passenger car could be modified into a lightweight vehicle. The modification would be subject to a modification inspection, in which the compliance of the lightweight vehicle with requirements related to the age of the vehicle, speed limitation and unladen weight is checked. Detailed technical requirements for speed limitation would be imposed by a regulation of the Finnish Transport Safety Agency pursuant to § 27 a of the Vehicle Act, in a manner similar to other technical requirements concerning vehicles.

A vehicle modified into a lightweight vehicle would be required to be already registered as a passenger car. This ensures that the technical information of the vehicle is entered into the register appropriately and that the vehicle meets the strict requirements for traffic safety and environmental protection imposed on passenger cars. In addition, the changes to the information system required by the amendment can be implemented on the schedule proposed at present.

Other implementation alternatives

The following alternatives have also been investigated during preparation:

Registering lightweight vehicles as their own separate category

Under the provisions on the technical aspects of vehicles, it could be theoretically possible to create an entirely new category. However, the driving licence directive is worded in such a way that these vehicles would still fall within the scope of the provisions on passenger cars, in which case the minimum age would be 17 years and the intended amendment could not be implemented in practice.

Speed limitation of 60 kilometres per hour

According to certain estimates, increasing the maximum authorised speed would have a positive impact on the smooth functioning of traffic. Increasing the speed would somewhat raise the popularity of lightweight vehicles and could lead to an increase in their use on larger roads, which would balance the impact in a negative direction. The key impact would, however, be a negative impact on traffic safety, and the enhancement of traffic safety given as grounds for the amendment could entirely fail to occur.

Limiting the age of a lightweight vehicle only to new cars

Limiting the age of a lightweight vehicle so that only a new car could be modified into a lightweight vehicle was also investigated during the preparation. The limitation would, however, increase costs significantly. If the costs are significantly higher than those for purchase of a moped, it is likely that lightweight vehicles would mostly replace new or lightly used microcars. Since the positive impact of the proposed amendment is mostly due to the transition from mopeds, the total impact of the amendment would remain minor in terms of traffic safety. The impact would be negative in terms of CO2 emissions and positive in terms of other emissions.

Removing the limitation on the age of a lightweight vehicle

The amendment would lead to an increase in the ages of lightweight vehicles and could also, based on experience gained in Sweden, lead to a significant increase in the number of accidents and in accident costs. The amendment would lower costs and therefore increase the number of lightweight vehicles in traffic, which would have a positive impact on the mobility of young people but, respectively, a somewhat negative impact on the smooth functioning of traffic.

Effects of the proposal

General

The aim of the amendment bill is to enhance the safety of young moped and microcar drivers aged between 15 and 17 in particular. The bill would enable young people to choose a new mode of transport that could better guarantee their safety in traffic. As a starting point for assessing whether to allow the introduction of lightweight vehicles, the following objectives should be met: traffic safety should improve compared to safety with use of microcars, it should be ensured that the traffic safety of other parties is not significantly weakened, traffic-related emissions should be taken into account, and it should be ensured that the amendment does not unreasonably obstruct the smooth functioning of traffic.

To implement the impact assessment, the Ministry of Transport and Communications collaborated with the Finnish Transport Safety Agency (Trafi) to investigate the estimated impact of lightweight vehicles on traffic safety and the environment. The assessment was carried out via interview survey, and based on the data obtained, three scenarios were constructed in which the popularity of the limited passenger car varied. The reference point of the scenarios is the current situation. The age group of the investigation is limited to young people aged between 15 and 17 on the grounds that using a lightweight vehicle would become possible at 15, and under legislation in force, a driving licence can be obtained at 18.

In the interview survey, the parents of young people aged between 12 and 14 were asked how likely they would be to acquire a lightweight vehicle for their child’s use. In addition, the parents of young people who owned a moped or microcar were asked how likely they would have been to acquire a lightweight vehicle instead of a moped or microcar. Different scenarios on the demand for lightweight vehicles were drawn up based on the interview survey. The minimum scenario assumed that only young people who currently use a moped or microcar would be interested in limited passenger cars. In this scenario, the number of limited cars used by young people would be approximately 12 000. In the average scenario, the assumption was that young people who currently use a moped or microcar, as well as a small number of those who do not have a vehicle for their own use, would be interested in limited passenger cars. In this scenario, the number of lightweight vehicles used by young people would be approximately 29 000. In the maximum scenario, the assumption was that young people who currently use a moped or microcar as well as those who do not have a vehicle for their own use would be interested in limited passenger cars. Based on this highest foreseeable level, the number of lightweight vehicles used by young people might be approximately 41 000. This scenario does not take into account the possibility that lightweight vehicles might also be attractive to people aged 18 and over, since the objective of the project is to improve the traffic safety of people aged between 15 and 17. It is not likely that the popularity of lightweight vehicles among people over 18 would rise very much from the current number of microcars.

The numbers described above are based on answers to the interview survey concerning the proportion of parents of young people who would certainly or reasonably certainly be interested in acquiring a lightweight vehicle for their child’s use. The description of a lightweight vehicle given to the parents differs from this government bill in that the age of the vehicle was limited to 15 years, its mass was not limited, and the right to drive would have been based on a tractor licence. The changes to these aspects increase the costs of acquiring a lightweight vehicle and a driving licence. Where the price of a lightweight vehicle falls in between those of a moped (EUR 1 000 to 2 000) and a microcar (approximately EUR 10 000), it can be assumed, in a

manner similar to that described in the impact assessment, that the popularity of lightweight vehicles would follow the moderate scenario. In the moderate scenario, the maximum estimated number of users is approximately 29 000 youths. However, the increase of the price given in the interview questions to approximately EUR 4 000 to 7 000 and the stricter driving licence requirements may dampen demand. On these grounds, it can be estimated that the demand for lightweight vehicles among young people may amount to 20 000 to 25 000 vehicles. On 31 March 2018, there were approximately 2.7 million passenger cars, approximately 126 000 mopeds and approximately 8 800 light quadricycles, most of which were microcars, in use in traffic.

Effects on households

The amendment bill will mainly affect households in which a moped or microcar will be acquired at present for the use of a young person. The acquisition price of a lightweight vehicle is somewhat higher than that of a moped and either lower or higher than that of a microcar, depending on the age of the vehicle. A lightweight vehicle may be modified from an existing car or a suitable passenger car may be acquired for the purpose. A lightweight vehicle can always be modified back into a passenger car, which may save some of the costs related to the acquisition of vehicles since the vehicle does not necessarily have to be replaced when a young person obtains the right to drive a passenger car.

Changes in the annual transport work and modes of transport

The transport work of people aged between 15 and 17 by different modes of transport was assessed on the basis of the National Travel Survey and the data on the transport work of mopeds and microcars. Young people travel approximately 37 km per person on an average weekday. Public transport accounts for approximately 12 km (32 %) and travel as a passenger in a car for 17 km (45 %). Moped travel accounts for approximately 2.8 km (7.7 %) and microcar travel for 1.4 km (3.8 %).

Compared to the current situation, allowing lightweight vehicles would affect modes of transport by enabling a new mode and by replacing mopeds and microcars. The annual transport work of a lightweight vehicle was based on current use of microcars, that is, approximately 10 000 kilometres. In the moderate scenario, the transport work of young people grows by 3.4 %, while in the minimum scenario the growth rate is 1.2 % and in the maximum scenario 4.4 %. The impact of the selected implementation method best corresponds to the calculated impact of the moderate scenario. The replacement of mopeds has the greatest impact, since the estimate is that lightweight vehicles would be used three times as often as mopeds. A lightweight vehicle can also be used throughout the year, which means that when moped drivers shift to using lightweight vehicles, public transport will account for a reduced share of modes of transport.

The introduction of lightweight vehicles would have a significant impact on the moving habits of young people. In the moderate scenario, lightweight vehicles would account for 11.5 % of travel by young people, while in the minimum scenario they would account for 5 % and in the maximum scenario 16.4 %. The share of public transport in modes of transport would decrease from the current 32 % by 3.4 percentage points in the moderate scenario, whereas in the minimum scenario it would decrease by 1 percentage point and in the maximum scenario by 5.0 percentage points. The total share of mopeds and microcars in modes of transport would decrease from the current 12 % by 5.2 percentage points in the moderate scenario, whereas in

the minimum scenario it would decrease by 3.4 percentage points and in the maximum scenario by 6.7 percentage points. Travel as a passenger in a passenger car would decrease by 2.3 percentage points from the current 45 %, whereas in the minimum scenario it would decrease by 0.6 percentage points and in the maximum scenario by 3.7 percentage points.

Impact on traffic flow

Impact on traffic flow was examined by simulations, for which three different condition-related scenarios were created. These scenarios examined the impact that the number of slow vehicles would have on traffic flow speed, queues and overtaking. In simulations, maximum speeds of both 45 km/h and 60 km/h were tested for lightweight vehicles. The first scenario involved a single-lane main road with heavy traffic and a speed limit of 100 km/h. The second scenario involved a route located at the edge of an urban centre, with heavy traffic and a speed limit of 60 km/h. The third scenario involved a narrow rural road with a speed limit of 80 km/h. The simulation used a stretch of road 10 km in length as the object of examination. The result was an examination of the impact on the average speeds of vehicles and on delays — that is, the added time that results when a vehicle cannot move at the driver’s intended speed but has to move behind a slower vehicle.

In the base scenario of the first scenario, the mean speed is 88 km/h for passenger cars and 83 km/h for lorries and there are no lightweight vehicles in the traffic flow. When lightweight vehicles with a speed of 45 km/h are placed in the traffic flow, the mean speed of passenger cars is decreased by 7 % to 15 % and that of lorries by 5 % to 14 %. In heavy traffic, the traffic flow will cause a delay of 37 seconds to passenger cars and of 12 seconds to lorries during a 10 km trip. When the number of lightweight vehicles added into traffic increases, the delay increases 1.6 to 2.5 times for passenger cars and 2.6 to 5.8 times for lorries. At most, the delay is approximately one minute. In the first scenario, the possibility of overtaking lightweight vehicles via the road shoulder was also simulated. The assumption was that a lightweight vehicle will always give way — that is, the best possible outcome. In this case, the effects on mean speed are minor and the number of overtakings, other than those carried out via the road shoulder, would grow by less than 20.

In the second scenario, the baseline scenario had a mean speed of 60 km/h for passenger cars and lorries. The addition of lightweight vehicles limited to a speed of 45 km/h decreases the speed of both passenger cars and lorries by 2 % to 12 %. In heavy traffic, the traffic flow will cause a delay of 17 seconds to passenger cars and of 19 seconds to lorries during a 10 km trip. When the number of lightweight vehicles added into traffic increases, the delay increases 1.6 to 5.1 times for passenger cars and 1.6 to 4.7 times for lorries. At most, the delay exceeds one minute. Scenario 2 does not assume the possibility of overtaking, but it was not prohibited. The lane of oncoming traffic must be used for overtaking, which means that every overtaking involves a significant risk and the risk is more probably taken when driving behind slow vehicles.

In the third scenario, the mean speed was 80 km/h for passenger cars and 79 km/h for lorries. The addition of lightweight vehicles limited to a speed of 45 km/h decreases the mean speed of passenger cars by 7 % to 17 % and that of lorries by 7 % to 19 %. In heavy traffic, the traffic flow will cause a delay of 21 seconds to passenger cars and of 26 seconds to lorries during a 10 km trip. When the number of lightweight vehicles added into traffic increases, the delay increases 2.3 to 4.7 times for passenger cars and 2.2 to 4.6 times for lorries. At most, the delay is approximately a minute and a half. Additionally it can be assumed that a similar impedance is

caused for bus traffic. Scenario 3 does not assume the possibility of overtaking, but it was not prohibited. The lane of oncoming traffic must be used for overtaking, which means that every overtaking involves a significant risk and the risk is more probably taken when driving behind slow vehicles.

Impact on traffic safety

The impact on traffic safety was examined on the basis of the Finnish Transport Agency’s data on traffic accident casualties and fatalities, because it is the objective of the bill to reduce the numbers of accident victims. The risk assessment is average and based on the estimated annual transport work. The starting point of the risk assessment is the risk for passenger car drivers aged between 18 and 19, adjusted by the risk for ages 15 to 17, which is 1.68 times greater compared to ages 18 to 19. In this case, the risk is slightly lower (0.51 victims per one million passenger-kilometres) than the current risk for microcars (0.65).

When using this risk level for microcars, the number of casualties and fatalities in road traffic accidents is decreased in all scenarios involving different numbers of lightweight vehicles. This is largely because lightweight vehicles replace a portion of mopeds, for which the risk is almost six times higher than for lightweight vehicles. The annual transport work is, however, higher for lightweight vehicles than for mopeds, which balances the situation. The use of lightweight vehicles also lowers the number of microcar accident victims, and thus the total number of victims would decrease by approximately 54 victims per year in the moderate scenario, while in the minimum scenario it would decrease by about 28 victims per year and in the maximum scenario by 62 victims per year. The number of fatalities in accidents is lowered by 0.5 fatalities in the moderate scenario, while it would be lowered by 0.3 fatalities in the minimum scenario and by 0.6 in the maximum scenario.

By using the unit cost multipliers for accidents, it can be concluded that the savings in accidents costs would be approximately EUR 18 million in the moderate scenario, while the savings would be approximately EUR 10 million in the minimum scenario and approximately EUR 20 million in the maximum scenario.

When traffic safety is assessed at the current risk level of microcars, the impact on the number of victims is quite neutral. The number of victims in accidents would be lowered by 19 persons in the moderate scenario, while it would be lowered by 13 persons in the minimum scenario and by 12 in the maximum scenario. The number of fatalities would be reduced by 0.2 persons in the moderate scenario, while it would be reduced by 0.1 persons in both the minimum and maximum scenarios.

When using the comparable risk level of Swedish A tractors as a starting point in the comparison, the introduction of lightweight vehicles would increase the total number of victims by 70 persons in the moderate scenario, while it would increase by 25 persons in the minimum scenario and by 115 in the maximum scenario. Even though the risk is lower for a lightweight vehicle than for a moped also in this case, the higher transport work of a lightweight vehicle increases the number of accident victims. Depending on the scenario, the number of fatalities in accidents would increase by 0.7 persons in the moderate scenario, while it would increase by 0.2 persons in the minimum scenario and by 1.1 in the maximum scenario.

The assumptions concerning traffic behaviour of people aged 15 to 17 with the new vehicle type affect the risk level of lightweight vehicles. Based on data on microcar use available in Finland,

it is not likely that the risk level would be as high as it is for A tractors in Sweden. The technical requirements for A tractors and the high age of the vehicles have a partial impact on the creation of higher risk. Based on Swedish data, typical accidents for A tractors include rear-end collisions and falling off the road due to losing control of the vehicle. Finnish investigations have shown that in addition to rear-end collisions, the lower running speed of microcars causes incidents during overtakings.

Based on a survey conducted among young people in Sweden, only one in four drives an A tractor at the authorised running speed of 30 km/h at most, while over half of the vehicles have been tuned to achieve speeds of over 80 km/h. Almost all drivers of A tractors report that they often drive over the speed limit. In terms of traffic safety, the age and safety level of the vehicle fleet must also be taken into account. The recycling of vehicles as lightweight vehicles increases the average age of the vehicle fleet. For example, Swedish A tractors are often old vehicles that would not have passed the periodic roadworthiness test for a passenger car.

The mass of a lightweight vehicle is greater than that of a microcar and could therefore somewhat increase the severity of accident consequences for the unprotected party. The greater mass compared to microcars notwithstanding, allowing lightweight vehicles for young people would presumably not cause a significant safety risk for pedestrians. The speed limitation for lightweight vehicles is aimed at mitigating the severe consequences of accidents. Pedestrian safety has not been taken into account separately in the accident statistics of Finnish microcars or Swedish A tractors. According to a report on microcars by the Finnish Crash Data Institute of the Finnish Motor Insurers’ Centre, accidents between microcars and light traffic numbered 87 between 2011 and 2015, accounting for 1.7 % of traffic accidents involving microcars. The share of pedestrian accidents was approximately the same for all drivers of motor vehicles in urban areas, and so it cannot be concluded that young drivers would pose a greater risk to pedestrians than other age groups.

Impact on traffic emissions

The impact on traffic emissions has been assessed based on the data of LIPASTO, the calculation system for traffic exhaust emissions and energy use in Finland. Average values were used as the emission factors of mopeds and microcars. Lightweight vehicles were assumed to be about 10 years old, and the average emission factors for urban traffic were used in the calculation. A normal passenger car was assumed to be about five years old, and the average emission factors for urban traffic and road traffic were used in the calculation. The class EURO V factors were used as public transport emission factors for buses.

The following factors were taken into account in the emission assessment: carbon dioxide emissions (CO2 equivalent emissions) in terms of climatic effects and particulate emissions (PM), nitrogen oxides emissions (NOx) and carbon monoxide emissions (CO) in terms of air quality effects.

Fuel consumption increases in all the scenarios concerning the introduction of lightweight vehicles. This is because fuel consumption of a lightweight vehicle (7.4 l/100 km) is significantly higher than that of a moped (2.9 l/100 km) or a microcar (5.3 l/100 km). In the moderate scenario, fuel consumption grows by 30 %, while the growth rate is 10 % in the minimum scenario and 40 % in the maximum scenario. Lightweight vehicles will also presumably be used more than mopeds, which will increase fuel consumption. The fuel consumption of people aged 15 to 17 is currently approximately 0.9 % of the total consumption

for road traffic and 1.5 % of the total consumption for passenger traffic by road. In the moderate scenario, the share of total consumption for road traffic would increase to 1.1 % and of total consumption for passenger traffic to 1.9 %. The total consumption for road traffic would grow by 0.3 % in the moderate scenario, while it would grow by 0.1 % in the minimum scenario and by 0.4 % in the maximum scenario. The total fuel consumption for passenger traffic by road would grow by 0.4 % in the moderate scenario, while it would grow by 0.1 % in the minimum scenario and by 0.6 % in the maximum scenario.

Carbon dioxide emissions are directly proportional to fuel consumption, which means that carbon dioxide emissions also grow in all scenarios. The estimated growth rate is 20 % in the moderate scenario, while it would be 7 % in the minimum scenario and 29 % in the maximum scenario. The change is caused by higher consumption and a higher emission factor also for carbon dioxide emissions: the emission factor of a moped is 68 grams per passenger-kilometre, that of a microcar is 128 and that of a lightweight vehicle is 168. Currently, travel by young people produces approximately 1.2 % of the total emissions of road traffic and 2.0% of the total emissions of passenger traffic by road. The share of the total emissions of road traffic would grow by 1.4 % in the moderate scenario, while it would grow by 1.3 % in the minimum scenario and by 1.5 % in the maximum scenario. The share of total emissions of passenger traffic would grow by 2.4 % in the moderate scenario, while it would grow by 2.1 % in the minimum scenario and by 2.5 % in the maximum scenario. The total emissions of road traffic would grow by 0.2 % in the moderate scenario, while they would grow by 0.1 % in the minimum scenario and by 0.3 % in the maximum scenario. The total emissions of passenger traffic by road would grow by 0.4 % in the moderate scenario, while they would grow by 0.1 % in the minimum scenario and by 0.6 % in the maximum scenario.

Particulate emissions (PM) affect the air quality in the vicinity of roads. In all the scenarios concerning the degree of lightweight vehicle use, particulate emissions would be reduced compared to the current situation. The effects depend on the degree to which mopeds or microcars are replaced by lightweight vehicles and how much the change increases traffic; as such, the change is not directly proportionate to the number of lightweight vehicles. The estimated reduction is 20 % in the moderate scenario, while it would be 22 % in the minimum scenario and 23 % in the maximum scenario. The reduction is created almost entirely by the removal from use of diesel microcars. The PM emission factor of a microcar is 0.1 grams per passenger-kilometre, that of a moped 0.046 and that of a lightweight vehicle 0.018. Travel by young people creates an estimated 1.9 % of the total emissions of road traffic and 4.8 % of the total emissions of passenger traffic by road. In the scenarios concerning lightweight vehicles, these amounts would be reduced by 1.5 % in the moderate scenario and by 1.4 % in the minimum and maximum scenarios, as well as by 3.8 % in the minimum and moderate scenarios and by 3.7 % in the maximum scenario, respectively. The total emissions of road traffic in terms of particulate emissions would decrease by 0.4 % and the total emissions of passenger traffic by road by 1.0 % in the moderate scenario, while they would decrease by 1.1 % in the minimum and maximum scenarios.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions have a significant impact on air quality. However, the emission amounts would not change greatly in any scenario. Emissions would grow by 1.7 % in the moderate scenario, while they would decrease by 2.4 % in the minimum scenario and grow by 3.0 % in the maximum scenario. The change is affected by other changes: the decrease of diesel microcars reduces emissions, whereas the use of old passenger cars increases emissions. The decrease of public transport lowers the emission load caused by nitrogen oxides. In terms of nitrogen oxides, travel by young people creates approximately 1.3 % of the total emissions of

road traffic and 3.4 % of the total emissions of passenger traffic by road. The shares do not change in practice, and the reduction or increase of total emissions is under 0.1 %.