Junior driver
Question
Can I learn to drive now I'm 16? Is it legal to drive as long as I'm with a qualified driver?
Answer
According to UK law, it is illegal to drive a vehicle on a public road until you are 17 and in possession of a provisional licence. Even so, you can drive on private land without a licence. Just be very careful - some places you may think of as private, such supermarket car parks or green roads across a farmer's land, are classed as public roads, and you cannot drive on these.
You can find courses for young drivers such as yourself, on racing circuits or other specially designated places but these can be expensive. If you're interested, you could check with some of the local driving schools to see if they have any courses of this kind.
Do be warned that if you drive on the public highway under age you could end up having your licence heavily endorsed. You could even be banned from driving before you reach the legal age to get behind the wheel.
Updated: 22/01/2009
Question answered by CAB
