| Authors: | Fridulv Sagberg |
| Report nr: | 1529/2016 |
| ISBN: | 978-82-480-1811-7 |
| ISBN (digital version): | 978-82-480-1778-3 |
| Language: | Norwegian |
| Attachments | Summary Hele rapporten Sammendrag |
Drivers or riders without a license or with a stolen vehicle are involved in more than ten percent of fatal road crashes in Norway. This was shown by an analysis of data from all fatal crashes in the period 2005-2014. A literature review shows that unlicensed drivers have a considerably increased crash risk. Such crashes could be prevented by electronic driver authentication, i.e., a technical system for checking that a driver or rider has legal access to a vehicle before driving is permitted. This can be done by requiring the driver/rider to identify themselves with a national identity number and a unique code or biometric information before driving may commence, and that the vehicle thereafter verifies license availability and vehicle access by communication with a central register. In more than 80 percent of fatal crashes with unlicensed drivers/riders, speeding and/or drug influence contributed to the crash. This means that a majority of crashes with unlicensed drivers alternatively could be prevented by available systems, such as alcolock and speed-limit-dependent speed adapters. However, there are many crashes that are not influenced by those measures, and there is consequently a potential for additional safety improvement by means of an electronic driver authentication system.
