A legislative proposal introduced in Baja California could make certified driving courses a mandatory requirement for first-time driver’s license applicants.

The initiative, presented by state legislator Michel Sánchez Allende, seeks to amend the Law Regulating Vehicle Control Services in Baja California by requiring that individuals complete a driving course—both theoretical and practical—before obtaining their license.

According to Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), the state recorded 13,162 traffic accidents in 2021. That number has spiked in recent years, with local media reporting 15,184 accidents in Mexicali alone in 2024, averaging at least 40 crashes per day.

Additional data from the Red Cross and news outlets indicate a 64.9% increase in traffic accidents in Mexicali and Tijuana from January to May 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

Mexicali’s Municipal Public Safety Department also reported that in 80% of the city’s traffic accidents, the individuals involved were minors or young adults between 18 and 29 years old—many of whom did not possess a valid driver’s license.

In response, the proposed reform calls for mandatory driving instruction for all first-time applicants aged 16 and older. The course would be taught by certified police instructors and would cover key areas such as traffic regulations, defensive driving, road safety education, and the official driver’s manual.

Sánchez Allende emphasized that the proposal aligns with the 2023–2027 Sectoral Program for Sustainable Mobility and Transportation developed by the state government.

She also noted that legal frameworks at both the state and national levels provide the necessary authority to legislate on the matter. “This is about strengthening the legal tools that guarantee and promote road safety for the people of Baja California,” she said.