Road traffic Federal Council examines higher age limit for motorcycle licenses
For four years now, 15-year-olds have been allowed to ride small motorcycles and 16-year-olds motorcycles up to 125 cubic centimetres. Because the number of accidents has increased since then, the Federal Council is already looking into a higher minimum age again.
13.02.2025, 11:33
SDA
"The Federal Council is currently evaluating the number of accidents, as the number of serious accidents involving 16- and 17-year-olds, who have been allowed to ride motorcycles with 125 cubic centimetres since the beginning of 2021, has increased," it says in a statement published on Thursday in response to a motion by centrist National Councillor Sidney Kamerzin (VS). Based on this, various measures should be examined, such as an increase in the minimum age, but also adjustments to driver training.
As a flanking measure to the lowering of the minimum age from 18 to 16 years for driving motorcycles with 125 cubic centimetres and from 16 to 15 years for driving small motorcycles, the Federal Council increased the compulsory basic practical training for motorcycle learner riders in subcategory A1 from eight to twelve hours as of 1 January 2021. The aim of the lower age limit was to harmonize the Swiss categories with those of the EU.
"Today, experience shows that this change was dangerous," writes Kamerzin in justification of his motion, which calls for a return to the old regime with age limits of 16 and 18. Since the minimum age was lowered, statistics have shown an overrepresentation of young drivers in road accidents, particularly those involving small motorcycles. The number of serious accidents has tripled.
