by Staff Reporter
PALMA
A driving licence for one euro a day is the offer which the Traffic Authorities (DGT) will make to young people aged between 17 and 25 who do not have a Class B driving licences.
This was announced by Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, the minister of the Interior, after a meeting with representatives of the Youth Council to analyse the problems of road safety which affect young people.
Rubalcaba, who was accompanied by Pere Navarro, the director general of the DGT, explained that people in the 17 to 25 age group will be offered interest-free loans, provding that in exchange, they take part in a road safety training problem.
The scheme will come into force in November and it will be aimed at Spaniards as well as foreigners living in Spain.
The objective of the programme, Rubalcaba said, is to give the 17 to 25 age group access to driving licences by providing them with interest free loans to be repaid over three years, at one euro a day, providing they take then hours of theory classes on road safety.
In this way, he continued, there will be more young people with a driving licence, but with better training in road safety.
He added that he was convnced that theinitiative would be a success and that between 80'000 and 100'000 people would benefit.
The benefits, he said, would mean more young people with a driving licence, providing them with a skill which will increase their chances in the labour market.
Mario Esteban Ruiz, president of the Youth Council, described the initiative as interesting.
Driving schools which want to take part in the initiative must comply with certain standards.
The young people may select the driving school where they wish to learn how to drive. The loans will vary between 100 and 1'000 euros.