On average, six accidents occur each month in Latvia, with the culprits being teenagers without driver's licenses. Moreover, these are not exceptional cases: children aged 13 to 17 are getting behind the wheel, most often in their parents' cars.
The Latvian Motor Insurers' Bureau (LTAB) is sounding the alarm: the problem is not decreasing, and the responsibility of adults remains in question.
Numbers that make you think
Since 2021, underage individuals without driver's licenses have been responsible for 325 traffic accidents. In just under 11 months of this year, there have already been 67 accidents — three more than in the entire previous year.
"Although the collected data shows that the number of traffic accidents caused by minors has been relatively stable in recent years, it is concerning that we still regularly encounter the irresponsibility of adult car owners who allow young people without driver's licenses to use family or other vehicles," explains LTAB Chairman Janis Abashins.
From 13 to 17: who is behind the wheel?
The most accidents this year were caused by 17-year-olds — 29 cases. But what is alarming is that 14-year-olds and 13-year-olds each caused two accidents. Over the past five years, children under 15 have been responsible for 30 accidents — nearly 10% of all traffic accidents caused by minors without licenses.
Of the 67 accidents that occurred this year, only in one case did a teenager use a car-sharing service. In all other cases, the driver was a vehicle given by parents or friends.
The problem of parental irresponsibility
"This trend raises concerns about the responsibility of vehicle owners who allow young people without driver's licenses to use cars, often in unacceptable technical condition, with inappropriate seasonal tires, and even without OCTA (mandatory insurance)," emphasizes Abashins.
A car has always been an object of increased danger, so the owner has a special responsibility not only for its technical condition but also for the decision of whom to trust with its operation. "If children show interest in driving, this is a great opportunity for a conversation with the younger generation about the rules and an explanation of why road safety is so important, including what consequences may arise from the irresponsible use of this object of increased danger," notes the LTAB Chairman.
What threatens violators?
According to part six of Article 51 of the Road Traffic Law, driving a vehicle without a driver's license incurs a fine of 56 to 114 units (from 280 to 570 euros). But that's not all. If an underage individual without a license causes a traffic accident, the damages to the victims will be covered by the LTAB Guarantee Fund, and then this money will be recovered from the vehicle owner in a regressive manner. This means that parents who gave their child the keys to the car will ultimately pay for all the consequences of the accident.
A conversation that cannot be postponed
The story of each such traffic accident is not just about broken cars and financial losses. It is someone's life that could have been cut short or changed forever. It involves injuries, fear, and consequences that will have to be lived with for many years.
If your teenage child shows interest in driving — that is normal and natural. But the path to the steering wheel should not begin with secretly stolen keys, but with a conversation about the rules, lessons in driving school, and an understanding that a car is not a toy, but a serious responsibility. 325 accidents over five years means 325 families facing the consequences of one thoughtless decision. Perhaps it's time to stop thinking that "it won't happen to us."
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