Learning to Drive
In order to start driving any motorised vehicle you need to have an appropriate and valid licence. A licence to drive one form of vehicle does not automatically allow you to drive another type of vehicle. There are different legal age requirements for different vehicles. - At 16 you can ride a moped up to 50cc, drive small tractors or mowing machines
- At 17 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 a lorry up to 7.5 tons
- At 21 you can drive all vehicles
Learning to drive a car In order to learn to drive a vehicle you need to apply for a provisional driving licence, these can be applied for at most post offices or online from the DirectGov website at least 3 months before your 17th birthday. You can take lessons from a driving school or driving instructor, however they must be approved and registered with the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). Only a registered approved driving instructor (ADI) can charge money for teaching you to drive. Learning to drive a motorcycle Before you can learn to ride a motorcycle on public roads you must complete a Compulsory Basic Training Course. This was introduced to help reduce the very high accident rate among inexperienced motorcyclists. Similar to learning to drive a car you should learn to ride safely through an approved riding instructor. Driving with a disability If you have a disability you may need to get your vehicle adapted to suit your needs. Many can be adapted with simple hand controls or with a more technical joystick. You may be eligible for grants from charitable organisations to help with the costs of any conversions. If you are receiving disability living allowance at the higher rate you can apply for a provisional licence within 3 months of your 16th birthday.
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