16 year olds can drive a car.

[RafflesFreemantle]

Having just returned from working in Finland I was astounded to see 15 year olds driving cars!
I investigated this once back in the UK and found that they are called Moped cars with a top speed of 28mph and can be driven on a moped licence.
On further investigation it seems that in 2013 this became law in the UK as well,16 year olds can drive a moped car as long as they hold a moped licence.
WOULD YOU LET YOUR 16 YEAR OLD DRIVE A MOPED CAR?

• Safer than a moped
  
• Only 1 passenger allowed
  
• Valuble driving experience prior to full driving licence
  

What do you think?

[honeysucklejasmine]

I think it's a rare 16 year old who'd want to. Not like they can go far at 28 miles an hour.

[leonardthelemming]

In Australia and New Zealand - and maybe other places as well - 16-year-olds can start to learn to drive real cars. But, they have a much more thorough multistage driver education programme than the UK does, with more learning hours. Good idea, perhaps?

Incidentally, in Guernsey 14-year-olds can drive mopeds. It's a popular way of getting to school.

[MooseBeTimeForSnow]

You can learn to drive at 14 in Canada

[MooseBeTimeForSnow]

But you must be with a qualified driver over the age of 18. You can't get a probationary licence until 16 and you have to pass a road test

[ElfOnMyShelf]

Ive looked at these as theres a few around our way. The cars look quite safe,
www.aixam.co.uk or a robin reliant! I'd be more than happy for mine...... assuming they are as sensible at 16 as they are now!
I think driving is a slow learning process, and I've already given mine lessons on private roads.

[specialsubject]

New Zealand had a driving age of 15 until a few years ago. They also have insurance included in registration so kids are not stopped from driving powerful cars by cost.

This isn't the only reason for their high road death rate, but it doesn't help.

[akkakk]

At 16...

you can drive a tractor on the road...

also:
www.motability.co.uk/information-for-customers/cars-and-wheelchair-accessible-vehicles-customer-area/young-drivers

If you receive a higher rate mobility allowance, you can learn to drive at 16. As a customer, you can learn to drive in your Motability car as long as:

You have a provisional licence
You are listed as a permitted driver on the Certificate of Motor Insurance
You are accompanied by a driver who is over 21 and has held their licence for at least three years. They should be named on your Certificate of Motor Insurance in case they need to take control of the car themselves.

You can apply for your provisional licence three months before your 16th birthday by completing an online application at direct.gov.uk Opens in new window or by obtaining a D1 application form from your local post office.

[JudithH]

I like the idea but wouldn't allow them to drive around where we live - semi-rural / commuter belt. People drive so fast around here and if they see a car they expect it to be just as fast. At 28mph you couldn't accelerate out of an emergency situation.

[RafflesFreemantle]

It seems these moped cars are used in many places but not so much in the UK.
We live semi rural as well and if our son had one it would ease the mum and dad taxi service!
But they are very expensive for what they are, also there aren't many used moped cars for sale.
Would be ideal to hire on a short term basis?
Has anybody seen them for hire?

Thanks for all your input

[MalletsMallets]

Ive not seen them to hire, but they seem to hold their money well, so if you have the money to buy one, in a year or two's time when you sell it you won't have lost much.

[Laughingcamel]

When we lived in Riyadh, KSA, we regularly saw young teens during their mums around. A couple of times we saw 8-9 year olds driving 😳 And toddlers sat on the drivers lap steering at speed.

[Motherfuckers]

My children both drove at 16 (US) there are more restrictions than the UK so I was happy for them to drive at that age.