Uzbekistan Proposes New License Categories for Young Drivers

Sixteen-year-olds may soon be allowed to drive mopeds and scooters without a license. Today, as transportation technologies advance and the variety of vehicles increases, the regulations governing their operation are not well-defined. This situation permits many types of vehicles to be driven with a single license, which raises the risk of traffic accidents by allowing inexperienced individuals and young people to operate heavy or high-speed vehicles.

For instance, a significant difference exists between driving a low-power scooter, a quad bike, or a high-speed motorcycle (over 150 km/h). However, under current regulations, a 16-year-old with an "A" category driver's license can drive all these vehicles.

According to current legislation, the driver's licenses include categories "A," "B," "C," "D," "BE," "CE," and "DE."

A draft decision by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, developed by the Agency for Strategic Reforms, proposes improvements to the vehicle management system. Based on the Convention on Road Traffic, which Uzbekistan signed in 1995, the draft introduces new subcategories of driver's licenses according to vehicle type, weight, and capacity:

- "A1" - motor vehicles (displacement from 50 cm³ to 125 cm³), including mopeds and scooters with similar characteristics. The "A1" category license (for mopeds and scooters) will be issued from age 16, and the "A" category license (for high-speed motorcycles) from age 18.

- "B1" - tricycles and quadricycles (quads).

- "C1" - vehicles weighing between 3,500 kg and 7,500 kg.

- "D1" - passenger vehicles with more than 8 but not more than 16 seats.

The introduction of these license categories will simplify driver training, reduce training time, and establish age requirements. A study of foreign practices shows that small category driver's licenses are used in countries such as Russia, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam.

Mopeds and scooters are known to be convenient for delivering products, energy-efficient, and capable of navigating traffic jams quickly.