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Driving license reform in Brandenburg: Expensive, unsafe and controversial!
Federal Transport Minister Schnieder is planning to reform driving school training in Brandenburg in order to reduce costs and improve safety.
Driving license reform in Brandenburg: Expensive, unsafe and controversial!
The debate about reforming driving license acquisition in Germany is gaining momentum. Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) has announced ambitious plans to reduce the cost of driving licenses and improve the quality of training. The average price for a Class B car driving license is currently around 3,400 euros, and in recent years the costs of driving schools and driving license tests have risen sharply. In 2024, for example, the price jumped by 5.8%, while overall consumer prices only rose by 2.2%. There was already an increase of 7.6% in 2023 and even 10.8% in 2022 Tagesschau reported.
But where do the rising costs come from? According to estimates, it is not only the fees for the theory and practical exams that are set by law, but also the interest rates for motor vehicle insurance, which have increased by a whopping 30.4% in 2024. These developments mean that the all-important question arises: How can the acquisition of a driving license be made more economical and at the same time safer for future novice drivers?
Reform approaches and criticism
In order to reduce the financial burden, Schnieder is planning, among other things, to digitize driving school training and reduce bureaucracy. An interesting innovation is the abolition of the requirement for face-to-face teaching, which allows driving schools to impart knowledge digitally, for example via apps. In addition, the list of questions for the theoretical exam will be reduced by a third, which should make the exam easier and faster overall [BMV](https://www.bmv.de/SharedDocs/DE/Press Releases/2025/050-schnieder-reformvorschlaege-fahrbildung.html).
However, there are also concerns. The Brandenburg Driving Instructors Association expressed sharp criticism of the reform plans. Chairman Hendrik Schreiber warns that road safety should not be left behind. In particular, the importance of the special trips that are necessary to prepare novice drivers for all lighting and traffic situations should not be neglected. In Brandenburg, the risk of dying from collisions with trees is very high - 33% of traffic fatalities are affected Tagesschau.
What do the driving instructors say?
This skepticism is supported by other voices from the driving instructor community. Kurt Bartels, Vice Chairman of the Federal Association of Driving Instructors Associations, calls for more effective, more compact training. He suggests introducing mandatory learning goal controls and streamlining the theoretical exam. The idea of involving laypeople in driving training is also questioned, since without double pedals in private cars the safety of the examinees cannot be guaranteed [BMV](https://www.bmv.de/SharedDocs/DE/Press Releases/2025/050-schnieder-reformvorschlaege-fahrbildung.html).
The plans for a reform of driving license acquisition will be legally implemented in the first half of 2026, with the proposals to be further discussed with the federal states and the industry. The focus always remains on the central question of road safety and the preparation of future novice drivers. Will the new system actually deliver the desired results, or could health and safety on the road be put at risk?