Motoring
Do you know the new traffic signs and the new Road Traffic Act?
Test your knowledge!
Road signs test
Typical causes of serious traffic accidents involving young people:
- high speed, speeding
- swerving off the road
- not wearing seatbelts
- drink-driving
- a young man driving
- driving on a summer weekend
Source: Traffic safety
Nearly one in three people injured in road traffic accidents is between the ages of 15 and 24.
Young men in particular behave impulsively and recklessly sometimes.
Why do young men drive recklessly?
- Young people themselves consider traffic rules to be very necessary, and most of them drive safely. But young men in particular aren’t always able to assess their own abilities and control their behaviour.
- If there are friends in the car, the driver often wants to show off to them. That’s when it’s easy to speed.
- Although young people themselves have a very negative attitude toward drink-driving, 13 percent of them believe that they are good drivers even when drunk.
Source: The Finnish Road Safety Council
Visit Liikennetilanne.fi to check the current situation on the road weather cameras, driving conditions forecasts, roadwork locations and emergency alarms.
Liikennetilanne.fi
According to the Technology Industries of Finland, over 90% of transport emissions come from road transport. Passenger cars account for over half of the emissions from road transport. Heavy duty vehicles and vans account for over 40 %.
Electric cars
- According to the E-mobility status report (in Finnish), at the end of June 2024 there were a total of 251,552 electric cars in Finland.
- That is 8.8% of all the passenger cars in the country.
- All-electric cars account for 39% of electric cars.
Check out the frequently asked questions and answers related to electric motoring on the website of The Automobile and Touring Club of Finland (in Finnish).
Quadricycle safety
- Because a quadricycle is lighter than a passenger car, it is not as safe as a passenger car in the event of a collision.
- A quadricycle is more sensitive to uneven road surfaces and even side wind, and it is more difficult to handle in slippery winter conditions.
- Accidents involving young quadricycle drivers are often caused by inappropriate speed for the situation. Remember to keep an eye on the quality of the road and slow down if necessary.
- Make sure to choose the right type of winter tyres and keep in mind that a quadricycle is narrower than a passenger car and cannot necessarily navigate the same grooves.
Source: Traffic safety
Are you thinking about buying a used car?
Be thorough and learn about the history of the car.
Nowadays, Traficom’s website makes it easy to find out the history of a used car. Some of the information is provided free-of-charge, while some costs a few euros.
Be sure to check at least the following:
- Has the car been taken off the registry at some point? (It could be e.g. a redeemed vehicle from an accident.)
- Is the vehicle in traffic use?
- Has the vehicle tax been paid?
- Has the vehicle been inspected
- Is the seller of the vehicle its registered owner? Only purchase a vehicle from the registered owner (check the seller’s identity).
- Are there any restrictions on the use of the vehicle in relation to vehicle tax?
The website of The Automobile and Touring Club of Finland has more tips for buying a used car (in Finnish).