Germany: Seating requirements for supervised driving

Under the ‘Begleitetes Fahren ab 17’ (BF17) program in Germany, young drivers can gain additional road experience before turning 18. While this program is intended to reduce accident risks by providing extra practice, questions often arise regarding the positioning of the supervising person.

According to the Driving License Regulation (FeV), the supervising person is required to be available to the driver as a contact person to provide safety. However, there is no legal requirement for the supervisor to sit in the front passenger seat; they are permitted to sit in the rear of the vehicle as long as they are present in the car.