Hi, I was wondering if anyone could clear up a few things about a new to be driver?
My son is 16 and will be 17 in May. He has the promise of a job if he passes his driving test for a car before July. He is on the road on a 50cc moped at the moment to get a bit of road knowledge. I have undertaken a booking for a week of driving lessons when he is 17. Would he be able to sit his car theory test before he is 17? If he does and fails what is the timespan before he resits it. This would help him time wise as it will be a lot for him to do, what with his college work etc. Ive looked at the Gov.uk website but cant find anything on ages. Thank you...Gordon.
|
|
You need a driving licence to sit the theory test but he already has that but it will not have the vehicle class of car on it. I suspect he needs to wait until he's 17 to get the provisional licence for driving a car before he can sit the theory test.
|
I suspect he needs to wait until he's 17 to get the provisional licence for driving a car before he can sit the theory test.
Correct.
|
He has to wait till he is 17 and I don't want to put a downer on things but very few people pass when they are 17 these days and I am not sure if the company he works for has properly though about it. I know my mate was promised a company vehicle etc (he was a joiner) when he was 17 but it turns out he had to be 18 due to insurance reasons.
Don't rush things, apply for the licence as soon as he can, then start taking lessons then worry about the tests. If your son has too much preasure with college etc he might finding driving lessons very difficult as it is hard to focus that said the promise of a car might be enough to motivate him.
|
My eldest daughter applied for her provisional before her 17th birthday, and then booked her theory test for the day of her 17th birthday, which she passed first time. We'll draw a veil over the two unsuccessful attempts at the practical, but she was driving on her own at 17 and seven months.
With a Feb birthday and AS level exams in May/June it was late June before she was able to concentrate hard on driving.
"Minimum age you can take a test
You can take your theory test once your provisional licence becomes valid.
Normally, for car drivers, the earliest date your provisional licence can become valid is your 17th birthday, however you can apply for the licence up to three months before your 17th birthday.
So, if you apply for your provisional licence before you are 17 you will still have to wait until your birthday before you can take your theory test."
From DirectGov here: tinyurl.com/min-age-driving-test
Edited by oldnotbold on 07/02/2010 at 13:50
|
To the OP, I'd respectfully suggest 7 days of lessons is not enough. Poss enough to pass but to develop skills you need more.
If there were a minimum hours behind the wheel requitrement before passing there might be fewer accidents involving young drivers and a second "road sense" check up test 6 months after the pass would help too.
Edited by Nsar on 07/02/2010 at 15:19
|
My experience bears out Nsar's advice. I found that my girls (No. 2 passed 18 months ago) needed formal lessons from a pro and then lots of practice time with me in city conditions. No point driving on fast A roads to build up the hours - it needs to be lots of streets, junctions, roundabouts etc.
I'd suggest a bright youngster will need about 25 hours of lessons and about twice that with Dad. Hard to fit that into less than three months as he needs to build "maturity".
|
|
|
|
Whilst I do not want to appear to be raining on anyones parade, with regard to the statement " I have booked a weeks driving lessons for her" I would just ask one question of any back roomer, would you , assuming correct insurance was in place, let anyone who had only had one weeks experience on the road driving experience borrow your car ??
Whilst it is yes possible to pass a driving test after only one weeks concentrated course of lessons I will pass on the advice that I was given when I passed my initial driving test, many moons ago, you have shown that you have passed a driving test to the minimum standard required, from now on is when you learn to drive !
|
Whilst agreeing with you all about getting experiance, can I just remind you that he has been riding a moped for nearly a year. This would I believe equate to having more than 1 weeks road experiance. Riding something that is designed to travel at a speed of no more than 30mph is somewhat quite interesting to say the least. If you dont believe me go aut and try it. It gives you more than enough awareness of other road users and whats going on around you.
As for learning to drive, Im still learning after 34 years driving. Theres something new every day!
|
As for learning to drive Im still learning after 34 years driving. Theres something new every day!
>>
I would agree with that, there is a reason that car insurance cost decreases with age.
|
Can only agree with Gordon T regarding an "apprenticeship" on two wheels. More than anything else it teaches you that cars (and tarmac!) hurt when you hit 'em!
One possible "knock-on" effect of the latest wave of young scooter riders is that it will make them more aware of motorcycles when they move on to four wheels. That can only be good for reducing accidents.
Edited by Harleyman on 07/02/2010 at 18:48
|
One possible "knock-on" effect of the latest wave of young scooter riders is that it will make them more aware of motorcycles when they move on to four wheels. That can only be good for reducing accidents.
I very much doubt it.
Everyone has ridden a bicycle, and if that makes them more aware of cyclists I haven't experienced it.
|
Everyone has ridden a bicycle and if that makes them more aware of cyclists I haven't experienced it.
Cyclists are not required by law to take training before going on the road; although it might be no bad thing if they were.
Motorcyclists are; furthermore they have added responsibilities in the form of a driving licence to protect.
I'd also suggest that a sizeable number of pedal cyclists don't help themselves when it comes to making road users aware of them. That is not BTW to dispute their right to be on the road.
|
|
...regarding an "apprenticeship"...
Agreed, I started on agricultural tractors at about 11 or 12-years-old.
Not saying it made be a brilliant driver, but when it came to learning to drive, I at least had the basics of clutch and steering control.
|
A friend of my daughter recently passed her driving test a week after her 17th birthday. She learned to drive on farm tracks, applied to take her theory on her 17th birthday, and then got a cancellation practical test a week later.
|
|
Thanks for the replies. Ive got him booked in for the theory test 2 days after his birthday. If he fails this how long does he have to wait before he can resit it?
|
|
|
|
|
