Overview

• The Gesamtverband der Versicherer formally recommended on July 18 that the zero-tolerance rule for under-21 drivers be pushed back to cover motorists up to their 24th birthday.
• Accident data for 2023 from the insurers’ research arm show 1,287 alcohol-related crashes among 18- to 24-year-olds, resulting in 18 deaths and 372 serious injuries, two-thirds of which involved drivers aged 21 to 24.
• Insurers argue that lifting the zero-alcohol requirement at 21 leads many young drivers to regard low-level drinking behind the wheel as acceptable.
• Complementary measures proposed include mandatory scenario-based training in driver education and stepped-up on-road alcohol controls.
• The industry also urged expanded public transit, discounted taxi fares and wider car-sharing options to provide alternatives to drunk driving.