b4 ur 17
You don’t need to wait until you’re 17 to learn to drive a car — it’s only that you can’t drive on the public road. There are lots of ways that you can learn to drive a car before you're 17 that don’t involve breaking any laws. .
Being behind the wheel of a car is dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. Research shows that accident rates amongst young qualified drivers are reduced by up to 40% if they undertake driving tuition before they begin formal driving lessons, so getting good quality instruction before you're 17 is great investment in your future, as well as being great fun.
SEAT Young Driver scheme
The SEAT Young Driver scheme is new in the UK having just run its first sessions at the Birmingham NEC and is centered around learning driving skills in dual-control SEAT Ibizas. This includes building up experience of handling a car in a variety of real life situations, but also covers understanding of safety equipment and basic vehicle checks including tyres and fluids.
The Young Driver programme is open to 11-16 year olds over 1.5m in height. It costs £29 for a half hour lesson and £55 for an hour. Birmingham's NEC, the Bluewater Centre in Kent, Sportcity in Manchester and Brent Cross Shopping Centre in London will be regular venues with sessions set to available in Glasgow during the year. Check for SEAT Young Driver sessions here. They often have special offers so it's well worth worth checking.
Mercedes-Benz World kids' driving scheme
Based at the old Brooklands racing circuit in Surrey, Mercedes-Benz World kids' driving scheme offers young drivers the chance to get behind the wheel of an A-Class. You can purchase vouchers at Red Letter Days.
Professional instructors will always be by your side as your confidence grows and you pick up new driving skills. When you’re ready, they’ll move you onto the main tracks, teach you advanced skills including dynamic handling and skid management, and even prepare you for your driving test. Pity the couldn't think of a better name though...
MINI Drivers @ Goodwood scheme
MINI have announced their young deiver training programme MINI Drivers @ Goodwood , the famous race circuit in West Sussex. The programme is focused specifically on early learning and saving lives, not performance driving. Lessons will start in August with prices from £99 - you have to be taller than 1:5m (4ft 9”) to participate.
The programme uses Goodwood as its dedicated base, with fleet of brand new Mini One models fitted with dual controls to teach young drivers the essential skills of safe driving and considerate road craft.
Follow the link above for more information or call 01243 755060 for more details on the programmes available, pricing and gift packages
Under 17 Drivers Club
The Under 17 Car Club is a voluntary organisation which will teach you how to drive once you’re big enough to reach the pedals and see out of the windows at the same time. There are a few drawbacks — it costs money to join, you have to supply the car and an adult to accompany you and most of the venues are in the Midlands or the South of England. On the plus side you get the chance to progress to single-seat racing cars and on ‘special days’ stuff like trucks and rally cars. Where else do you get the chance to do that?
Silverstone's Rookie Driver Experience
The Rookie Drive road skills initiative, which runs at the famous Silverstone race circuit, provides teenagers aged 13 years and upwards with an opportunity to find out for the first time what it’s like to be behind the wheel of a car, in a dual-control Renault Clio with expert guidance from a fully qualified driving instructor. Participants will learn clutch control, gear changes, pulling away and navigating around obstacles. Silverstone’s students graduating from this two-hour driving course are awarded a certificate to take away with them, along with their new found skills and a basic understanding of how to become a proficient and safe driver. It costs £45.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists
The IAM is an organisation with the aim of making driving and drivers safer. Many of their individual branches around the UK arrange young driver training courses.
Local ‘off highway’ instruction
There are many more local companies and instructors offering their services, usually in their car not yours and at places such as racetracks or old airfields
There's Driving Ambition if you live near Northampton.
If you live in Surrey, Sussex or Hampshire there's Autopass who are based at Dunsfold, near Guildford - the Top Gear circuit!
For young drivers in the Glasgow and Edinburgh areas there's On Board Training who offer training from the age of 12. They have exclusive access to an off-road training complex in the grounds of Hamilton Park Racecourse, near Glasgow where they give fully structured driving lessons to younger drivers. They now also have access to a large roads network within the grounds of Ingliston Showground in Edinburgh.
Track driving
Motorsport Vision run YoungDrive where you get the chance to get behind the wheel of a dual-control Renault Twingo on a racetrack. They run sessions at Brands Hatch in the South East, Bedford Autodrome and Oulton Park in the North West of England. You have to be 13 or over and be taller than 1.45metres. Sessions cost £78.
Car Control
Why wait until you’re 17? There are many people willing to teach you about car control. It may not seem that you need it but do you really know what to do if you start slipping and a sliding?
Better to get some skills before you really need them.
