What age can you learn to drive in the UK?
Driving is a skill that everyone should master in their lives. It’s also a skill that requires practice and dedication.
There are different driving lessons, each designed to teach you a specific set of skills. Some people learn to drive at an early age, while others wait until they’re much older.
In this article, I’ll talk about the ages you can take driving lessons and what type of driving lessons you should consider.
What age can you learn to drive in the UK?
You can legally get your license when you reach either 18 or 16 years old. If you turn 17 before getting your license, then it will be valid for 6 months with restrictions.
You must have held your learner’s permit for 3 months prior to being able to apply for your full driver’s license.
This means if you were born after 1 January 2000 then you need to hold your learners permit for 12 months.
There may be additional requirements depending on where you live, but these vary from state to state, so make sure you check with local authorities regarding any rules and regulations.
If you want to take driving lessons as soon as possible, then you could do so between the ages of 8-12 however most private driving centres won’t accept students under 10 due to safety concerns.
When choosing which licensed driving school to go to, look into how long they’ve been around and whether they offer discounts for new drivers.
Learner’s permit vs. driver’s license
A learner’s permit allows you to carry out certain tasks behind the wheel such as changing lanes, turning right onto one-way streets, etc.
However, you cannot yet perform more complex manoeuvres like overtaking other vehicles or making U-turns.
The main difference between a learner’s permit and a regular driver’s license is that a learner’s permit does not allow you to use public roads without supervision by someone who has passed a theory test.
Additionally, you could only drive during daylight hours unless you had permission otherwise.
The advantage of having a learner’s permit over a regular license is that you don’t need to pass a theory test first.
Instead, all you need to do is attend a few classes and complete a written exam.
This makes it easier than ever to begin practicing your basic driving skills, since you don’t need to worry about passing a theory test first.
Types of Driving Lessons
Theory Test & Practical Training
Once you’ve completed your learner’s permit, you’ll move up to a practical training course.
These courses last anywhere from 2 weeks to 4 weeks and include both theoretical and practical components.
Theoretical tests cover topics such as traffic signs, road etiquette, defensive driving skills, being a safe driver, and even basic mechanics.
Practical training includes things like parallel parking, reversing, manoeuvring through narrow spaces, handling emergency situations, and many more.
It also involves learning how to handle different cars including manual transmission models and automatic ones.
Some people prefer to skip the theory part altogether and just focus on the practical component. Others find that doing both helps them better understand their car and its controls.
Regardless of which route you choose, remember that practice really makes perfect! So once you’re comfortable enough with your vehicle, try moving up to an intermediate driving level class.
How To Get A Learner’s Permit
In order to obtain a learner’s permit in the United Kingdom, you’ll need to:
• Have at least 5 points on your license
• Be aged 14 or older
• Pass a Theory Test
• Complete a minimum number of hours of lessons of supervised practice time
There are two ways to earn those five points.
One option is to achieve three “good passes” within a year.
Another method is to accumulate four “bad passes”.
Good passes are defined as any type of driving offence except speeding.
Bad passes are anything else – minor offences, no insurance, being uninsured, failing to stop when required, using mobile phones while driving, drink-driving, dangerous/careless driving, racing, careless cycling, riding unregistered motorbikes, etc.
If you have already accumulated 3 good passes, then you will receive a provisional learners driving permit after completing 12 hours of supervised practice.
This means that you won’t need to take another theory test before getting behind the wheel for real driving.
However, if you haven’t yet achieved this amount of experience, you may still require one final theory test before receiving your full driver’s license.
If you fail either of these exams, you must wait until you reach 18 years old before taking the next step towards obtaining a full UK driver’s license.
Should you get driving experience before you turn 17?
It depends on what kind of driver you want to be. If you plan to stick to city streets and highways, then there isn’t much point waiting around until you hit 18.
You could start out by enrolling in a beginner’s course where you’d spend most of your time honing your braking, learning road layouts, and steering skills.
If you are a confident driver, you might try something new, like off-road driving lessons or advanced driving school classes.
However, if you plan to venture into multi-lane roads or country roads and rural areas later down the line, it makes sense to delay your first solo excursion until you’re allowed to do so.
In fact, some licensed driving instructor recommends starting out with a group lesson instead of going straight to independent instruction because they believe that students who work together develop stronger bonds than individuals working alone.
What Are some Benefits Of Learning How To Drive Early On?
Learning how to drive early gives you more opportunities to explore different vehicles and public road conditions.
It also allows you to gain valuable experience without having to worry about making mistakes. Plus, since you’ve been practicing all along, you should be able to handle yourself well even under pressure.
Whatever your driving goals are or whether you decide to sign up for a beginner’s course or not, don’t forget to keep learning throughout your teen years. After all, nothing beats firsthand knowledge!
A Wife, a mum and a Tutor! I am the Lead Editor at TheTutor.Link & also the Head Tutor there. I love teaching seeing young minds flourish. I also love blogging and sharing my experience on the world wide web.