The Country With the Most Difficult Driving Test in the World



Here in the United States, getting a driver’s license is considered a right. You turn 16, drive around a 10-minute course, and presto, you’re a licensed driver. In other countries, it’s not that easy, and a driver’s license is considered a privilege, not a right. Finland has been labeled the hardest country in the world in which to obtain a driver’s license. First there’s driver’s training school, where you have to endure a mandatory 18 hours of instruction, including training on how to drive on ice and snow. Then there are the 19 theory lessons that are required, including traffic rules, safety factors for different roads, responsibilities of the driver, technical characteristics of the vehicle, basics of safe and economical driving, and identifying hazards. Then you have to pass a computerized theory test and a driving test in city traffic for 30 minutes. Once you’ve passed the 2-part test, you are then given a 2-year interim license and required to complete an advanced driving class, including night time driving. Only at the end of this 2-year period will you receive a full license. The cost of a driver’s license in Finland runs an average of $170 for the permit, theory test and driving test.