Driving Age Rumors

For some reason, it seems that in the UK rumors have started circulating again that the driving test age is being raised to 18.




Some say that while you will still be able to apply for a provisional licence at 17, you will not be allowed to take the UK driving test until you reach the age of 18. Others say that you will no longer be able to obtain a licence and learn to drive until you reach the age of 18.

The other version of the rumor circulating suggests that if you are under the age of 18, that a new law is being passed that will require you to have taken a certain number of driving lessons with a DSA approved instructor before you will be allowed to book a driving test!

Let me put your mind to rest by saying that none of these stories are true, and that the driving age is currently 17 and is not changing in the next year or two to 18. There is no act of parliament currently in motion to effect a change in the license or driving age law and if there were, it will still take time for it to be passed into effect, and the DVLA and DSA will give enough media publicity to inform the general public, so stop worrying or spreading false information around, and if you were born after 1 Jan 1993, you don't need to worry either, as you can take the driving test once you are 17 years old.

If you are thinking of obtaining a driving licence and learning to drive, that doesn't mean that you should put it off, as there are a few things that will always change, driving test fees and the cost of driving lessons, so the earlier you get it out of the way, the easier it will be on your wallet, and the current credit crunch might be a good way of getting quality instruction at a slightly lower price, as a BSM driving instructor told me of a learner driver who was able to haggle the price he paid for tuition with the organisation.

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