Week 40 – motoring news: young driver signs and driving lessons have changed

The start of October brought two practical changes for learner drivers and drivers under 18 in Finland. Meanwhile, September registrations show passenger cars and vans moving in different directions. Our week 40 review covers news published and changes taking effect from 28 September to 4 October 2026, explaining the implications for shared family cars, business fleets and driving after dark.

1. The young driver sign also applies to vans

The obligation that took effect on 1 October 2026 applies to drivers under 18 operating vehicles requiring category B driving entitlement. This distinction matters: it covers a van driven with a category B licence as well as the family car. Traficom clarified the scope in its release of 17 September.

The sign is a green and yellow hexagon, 15–20 centimetres in diameter, made of non-reflective material. It must be clearly visible at the rear of the vehicle without covering lights or indicators. Failure to use it can result in a €100 traffic penalty fee.

In practice: when a 17-year-old switches between family cars or uses a company van, check the sign on that particular vehicle before departure. Businesses should include this in their key handover instructions. Obtaining the sign is the driver’s responsibility. It does not remove the restriction on driving between midnight and 05:00 that came into force for underage drivers in May.

2. Unfinished driving courses now follow the new requirements

Mandatory risk recognition training increased from eight to twelve hours on 1 October 2026. The old requirements applied only if the driving test had been passed by 30 September. Starting driving school or booking a test before October is therefore not enough.

According to Traficom, anyone who had not passed the test before October must complete the four additional hours before taking it. Previous instruction can count towards equivalent content and hours, so the entire course does not normally need to be restarted. At most half of the driving instruction in risk recognition training, or 2.5 hours, may be simulator-based.

In practice: ask the training provider to check completed and outstanding modules before your test. This also applies if you failed a test in September and are retaking it. Learners taught under a private instruction permit should check with their risk recognition training provider. The decisive date is the date the test was passed, not when a course package was purchased.

3. Passenger car registrations rose, while van registrations fell

The Finnish automotive information centre’s figures published on 1 October, based on Traficom and Statistics Finland data, show 6,984 new passenger cars registered in September, up 16.4% from September 2025. Growth over January–September was more modest at 5.5%, with 56,928 registrations. The passenger car total includes motorhomes.

New van registrations totalled 864 in September, down 5.9% year on year. The January–September total was 11.9% lower. Truck registrations reached 259 in September, up 8.8%, while the year-to-date figure was almost unchanged, down 0.4%.

What does this tell a buyer? Vehicle segments are following different paths. One month’s passenger car growth does not demonstrate a recovery across the commercial vehicle market. Registrations also do not establish today’s order book, a particular model’s delivery time or available discounts. Check those details separately in a vehicle offer. Keep the current vehicle’s deadlines in your fleet inspection plan while waiting for its replacement.

4. The new reflector release draws on older observations

In a release dated 28 September 2026, Liikenneturva reported that 51% of pedestrians observed used a reflector. The observations took place in autumn 2025 and covered 16,601 pedestrians. This is not a newly measured usage rate for the current autumn.

The same release says 65% of motorists responding to a survey reported having to brake suddenly after encountering a pedestrian without a reflector in the dark. These are drivers’ reported experiences, not police-recorded accident counts. The survey was conducted in November 2025.

For drivers, the practical implication is to expect that a person at the roadside may become visible late. Adjust speed to visibility and approach crossings at a speed that allows you to stop. A missing reflector does not remove the driver’s responsibility. Check headlights and windscreen cleanliness too; use the vehicle checklist. Employers can also give reflectors to staff who drive to work, as their journey often includes walking across a car park.