Some youngsters are learning to drive at the age of just 11 but there are pros and cons to this.

There are numerous “Young Driver” or “Early Drive” companies about who will teach youngsters the basics of driving a car before they are at the legal age to drive a car on the road at 17.

Youngsters, as young as 11 are able to get behind the wheel of a dual control car and learn how to drive it at specialist courses set up for those too young to drive legally on the road. The courses cost around £55 per hour and take place not on the public roads (as this would be illegal) but on private land with a qualified instructor also in the car.

The venues that these early driving experiences take place at include some of the various race circuits around the country.

What is more, for some the early drive experience can take a twist and it is possible that on a youngsters first day of being behind the wheel of a car they could find themselves having a Ferrari driving experience or to be doing some rally driving as there is also driving experiences that will allow youngsters to do this.

The issue that some have with standard early drive lessons is that although a child or young person may be able to do the basics to drive a car they are probably not mature enough or ready to understand what it is like to drive on the real roads.
Some argue that some youngsters will not take as many real driving lessons when they are aged 17 or above if they have taken an early drive course and instead rush through to pass their driving test instead of having a full learning process when they are able to legally on the road.

Others argue that the early learn driving experiences are good and that it will give youngsters a basic understanding and be ready to fully learn the more important parts of driving when they come to learn for real.