According to Regitra’s data, 32,574 new drivers were issued novice driver’s licences last year, which is 214 more than in 2013 (32,360).
The absolute majority (65%) of people who were licensed to drive last year were residents under the age of 21. Within this age group, more males (11,911) than females (9,064) were issued novice driver’s licences, while in all other age groups there were more women than men.
The oldest people who received learner’s permits last year were nine men between the ages of 61 and 70, and two women (aged 73 and 79).
Novice drivers are issued a driving licence that is valid for two years, and which can later be exchanged for a 10-year permit.
A novice driver’s licences can be exchanged for a 10-year driving licence without any additional driver training by novice drivers who have not caused any accidents which resulted in harm to the health of another participant in traffic, and who do not have any road traffic safety violations which necessitate additional driver training according to the provisions of the Law on Road Traffic Safety.
Those who have committed the abovementioned violations or who have caused an accident which resulted in harm to the health of another participant in traffic must, within one year from the day of violation and in the procedure established by law, complete additional driver training at a driver training institution.
The law stipulates that this training is mandatory for novice drivers who have violated one or more road traffic safety requirement to be dutiful with regard to pedestrians, to adhere to the rules of overtaking, to refrain from using mobile devices while driving, to observe traffic signals, to use signal lights according to road traffic safety procedures, to abide to the rules for driving through an intersection, to wear safety belts, to wear a helmet if driving a motorcycle, to avoid exceeding the speed limit by more than 10 km/h, and to refrain from driving a motor vehicle under even slight intoxication (blood alcohol content of more than 0 per mille but no more than 0.4 per mille).
According to data of the Register of Drivers of Road Vehicles of the Republic of Lithuania, which is administrated by Regitra, a total of 1,553,263 residents held valid driving licenses at the beginning of 2015. The majority of them were licensed to drive passenger cars (B category). Drivers who obtain B category licenses are automatically permitted to drive AM category vehicles (mopeds) as well.
