Persons eligible for infant care allowance, maternity allowance and child care allowance as well as persons under the age of twenty can take part in free advanced driving technique training, the Minister of State for Family and Youth Affairs at the Ministry of Human Capacities announced on Tuesday at the Groupama test course in Mogyoród.

Katalin Novák recalled that since 1 July the free driving examination offered to persons under the age of twenty has been extended to persons eligible for infant care allowance, maternity allowance and child care allowance.

It was in conjunction with this that the insurance company Groupama offered to provide free driving technique training for young people under the age of twenty and persons with small children.

The Minister of State also said so far the government has helped 28,000 families with grants provided for large families for car purchases to the value of HUF 34 billion.

In order for Hungary to become a genuinely family-friendly country, in addition to the representatives of family organisations and the science sector, we also need the cooperation of the corporate sector, Ms. Novák highlighted.

Deputy State Secretary for Young People Zsófia Rácz highlighted that since 1 July 2018 more than 56,000 young persons under the age of twenty have reclaimed the fees of highway code tests and driving examinations.

Groupama Insurance Chief Executive Bertrand Woirhaye said their research has shown that according to eight young mothers out of ten, starting work and the births of children make driving a genuine necessity; yet, 71 per cent of them do not have driving licences.

One third of those interviewed said they see fear of driving as a deterrent to obtaining a driving licence, he added.

He stressed that the insurer would like to provide assistance by offering free training to 420 persons.

András Koháry, the insurance company’s head of communications and PR said they primarily expect the applications of those for the training courses to be held between mid-August and mid-October who are currently learning to drive in one driving school or another, as well as those who have had driving licences for not more than a year.

Twenty persons can attend one training course at a time; applicants can register for the courses on the website at www.tanpalya.hu, he said.

(Ministry of Human Capacities / MTI)