Two Crashes With Minors Reignite Belgian Driving Age Debate

Two devastating car crashes involving unlicensed minor drivers in less than a week have shaken Belgium and reignited the national debate about the minimum driving age of 18. The incidents — one fatal, the other involving a high-speed police chase — have prompted traffic safety experts to reiterate that the legal driving age exists for sound developmental and safety reasons.

According to VRT NWS, the first crash occurred on the night of May 16 in Brasschaat, near Antwerp. A 17-year-old driver without a license was traveling at 100 km/h in a 50 km/h zone when his car veered off the Sionkloosterlaan and struck several trees. Martin, a 16-year-old passenger, was killed at the scene. Four other teenagers aged 16 and 17 were seriously injured, with the driver initially in life-threatening condition.

A Second Crash Days Later

Just six days later, on May 21, a second incident unfolded. A 17-year-old boy from Mol, also without a license and under the influence of cannabis, led police on a 71-kilometer chase across highways in Limburg and Antwerp. As HLN reconstructed, the chase began when police spotted a Mercedes at traffic lights near Lummen. The original driver — a 19-year-old with a provisional license — had stopped to urinate after drinking alcohol, and the 17-year-old took the wheel.

The pursuit reached speeds exceeding 220 km/h along the E314 and E313 highways before ending in a crash on a roundabout in Herentals. Remarkably, none of the three occupants were injured. The driver tested positive for THC.

The Science Behind the Age Limit

“That you can only get a driving license from age 18 has a reason,” said Stef Willems, spokesperson for the Vias Institute for road safety, in comments reported by VRT NWS. “Young people aged 16 to 17, and especially young men, often have difficulty assessing risk.”

Traffic psychologist Frederick Vinckenbosch of Vias added that peer presence amplifies dangerous behavior. “It is no coincidence that two accidents happened last week with multiple young people in the car,” he told VRT NWS. “Social reward for risk-taking behavior also plays a role: young people receive confirmation from each other when someone is seen as daring.”

A Widespread Problem

According to the Vias Institute, approximately 60 accidents per year — more than one per week — involve a minor as the driver in Belgium. The vast majority involve male drivers. Siegfried Stallaert, a traffic judge in Aalst, noted that about a quarter of recent court cases in his jurisdiction involve license-related offenses.

Legal Consequences

In Belgium, the minimum age to obtain a driving license is 18, though a provisional license can be obtained at 17 with a supervisor. Minors aged 16 and older can be tried in traffic court rather than juvenile court. Penalties for driving without a license include up to two years imprisonment, a minimum fine of €2,000, and driving bans of up to five years.

As Redactie24 reported, insurance implications are also severe. When a minor without a license causes an accident, the insurer must compensate victims but can reclaim costs from the driver. Parents may be held civilly liable for insufficient supervision.

A February 2026 study by Vias, covered by HLN, found that 13% of Belgian young adults are exposed daily to social media videos showing dangerous traffic behavior. Federal Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke has called for platform accountability and stricter age verification.

What Comes Next

Both crashes share striking similarities: male teenage drivers, no valid license, nighttime driving, peer passengers, and substance influence. The tragedies have raised urgent questions about whether Belgium should raise the provisional license age, increase penalties for minors driving without licenses, and strengthen parental responsibility. As the community mourns Martin, who will be laid to rest next week, the debate over how best to protect young people — and everyone else on the road — is far from over.