Driving

At what age?

• At l4 you can ride an electrically powered cycle.
• At 16 you can ride a moped up to 50cc, a small tractor or mowing machine or mobility scooter. If you receive a Full Disability Living Allowance you can also drive a car.
• At l7 you can drive a car with up to 8 passengers, a motorcycle, a large tractor and a van or lorry up to 3.5 tons.
• At 18 you can drive a van or lorry up to 7.5 tons.
• At 21 you can drive all other vehicles. Most car hire companies have a minimum age of 21 or 23.

The Licence

If you want to learn to drive, first get a provisional licence. You can get an application form from a post office. When you get your licence, sign it straight away – before you drive. The provisional licence for a car lasts until you are 70. A motorcyclist's provisional licence only lasts for 2 years and you can’t renew it for 12 months after this.

When you have passed your test, you get a full licence, which lasts until you are 70. New licences are now the size of a credit card, with a photograph.

Learning to Drive a Car

When you are learning to drive you must display L-plates. They should be removed or covered up when the learner isn’t driving the car.

You must have someone over 21 who has held a full driving licence for at least three years with you in the front passenger seat of the car. This person must be fit to drive and must not have had more than the legal amount of alcohol. A registered driving instructor may be best.

Learners can’t drive on a motorway.

The Driving Test

Is in two parts, a computer based theory test and a practical test. The theory test must be passed before the practical test. It is made up of 50 multiple-choice questions and 14 video clips showing driving hazards, that you have to spot.

Learning to Ride a Motorbike

Motorcyclists also have a theory and practical test. If you already have a full car licence, you only have to take the practical test. Before you can ride a motorbike on the road you must have successfully completed a Compulsory Basic Training Course, and will be limited to a bike of no more than 125cc. After passing the practical test, you can ride a bike with a power output of up to 25kw or 33 bhp for 2 years. After that you can ride any size of bike.

MOT

Most vehicles which are three years old or more must be tested for an MOT certificate it they are to be used on the road.

Road Tax

A car or motorbike that is either being used or allowed to stand on the road must display a current tax disc. Car tax is now tracked by computer and your vehicle can be clamped, towed away or even crushed if it's not taxed. Cars over 25 years old do not need a road tax disc.

Insurance

It is an offence to drive, ride or even place a motor vehicle on the road without insurance. The penalties for this are very heavy, and it makes no difference for someone to say it was a genuine mistake and that they thought they were insured. Failure to have insurance means a fine and penalty points on a licence, and maybe a ban from driving.

Last Updated: 22-Dec-2008