17 year old not passed test - took my car out at 1am in the morning

[ThisBlueQuail]

My 17 year old son who has had 2 driving lessons took my car out at 1am in the morning - would you stop driving lessons?

A 18 year old near me did this 22 years ago. He lost control and killed himself. Fortunately no body else was involved. I understand from people who knew him that he was a nice person.
You need to take this very seriously.

Yes

Yes - stop his lessons and explain why. Tell him that he’s just shown he’s not mature enough to drive, that he’s irresponsible, arrogant and basically shaping up to be one of those twattish boy racers with the twat-alarm roaring exhausts who make a lot of noise but can’t actually drive properly.

I don't know exactly how satnavs work, but if you have one, is it possible to 'wind it back' and see where he went and if he's done this before?

And I don't approve of tracking people, but I'd be inclined to put a tracker on the car.

basically shaping up to be one of those twattish boy racers with the twat-alarm roaring exhausts who make a lot of noise but can’t actually drive properly.

And often end up killing several of their friends.

It is the most serious situation.

I also think driving is an essential life skill, but there is no way we would be continuing lessons until I could be sure he has the maturity to safe decisions. I would be wishing to see activity, visible evidence of maturity, considered choices. I’d probably enroll him into a think first course too.

I certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable with the idea of him driving alone! He will be one of these kids that do a 104mph. In the interested of his own safety, he would not be going anywhere!

I'd have a fucking big chat with him. Talk to him about consequences of being caught by the police driving no licence etc.

He's doing very well with his lessons if he can drive and (presumably) park the car after two lessons.

How did you find out what he'd done?

Good luck

I think what you mean is 'after two lessons, he can start the car and stop it, but there's no fucking way he's not a serious danger to other people on the road'.

Absolutely and withdraw any funding you were putting towards learning to drive. What on earth was he thinking? He could have killed someone or himself.

Where was he going, and why?

He had to admit it as his parking was so poor it was obvious. He just drove around and on the dual carriageway. He has said he realised it was a risky decision half way through when he realised he wouldn’t be able to park very well.

What punishment fits taking and driving away,driving without a full licence?

He was more concerned about his parking than driving on a DUAL CARRIAGEWAY with other traffic going at high speeds. If you haven’t already reported him to the police, you both need locking up.

He could have killed himself or someone else
is he aware of the seriousness of it all

Where the fuck was he going?

My brother took my mums car for a joyride once and thankfully no one was hurt, but oh my god did he get a cinematic bollocking. And then, my mum called up my dad, who bollcoked him when he ran away to my dad’s thinking he’d get soft touch.

Overall, no one was hurt and that’s the main thing, but I do think it kind of indicates he’s not really mature enough yet. Taking your car out at 1am after two lessons? Over confidence at best, pure stupidity at worst.

He realised it was a bad decision when he knew he was going to get caught.

If he had been caught he would have lost his provisional license so I think the police would say that being banned from driving is a punishment that fits the crime. Going round the block would have been one thing but the dual carriage way show a spectacular level of stupidity and lack of maturity. I'd be fuming and tell them that they are welcome to continue to learn but they will need to pay for their own lessons from now on.

Id stop the lessons and take his provisional away. If he does eventually pass his test I'd make him have a black box insurance.

I've watched enough Traffic cops /police interceptors programmes when they catch idiots like op son.
The police take twoc seriously and it's a major fuck up before even obtaining a licence to drive.

Key Legal Elements

• The Offence: Taking a vehicle/conveyance for use without authority, driving it, or riding in it knowing it was taken.
• Difference from Theft: No intent to permanently deprive the owner is required.
• Aggravated TWOC: Upgraded if the vehicle is driven dangerously, causes damage, or causes injury/death. 1, 2, 3]

Penalties and Defenses9

Right. He fucked up massively.

the people who are saying they’d call the police - aye course you would 🙄

sounds like he made a mistake but got away with it. He fessed up. He’s not going to do it again. Stopping lessons would then mean he’d have nothing to lose by taking it again 🤷‍♀️

Id be livid but id tackle it differently. But before everyone comes flapping their aprons about how he could have killed someone’s child etc - yes it was serious. Yes it was dangerous but nothing actually happened.

Oh tricky. He can obviously drive it anyway so will removing lessons achieve anything if he's inclined to do it again? Better to carry on ao he's safer when/if he does drive and think of another consequence maybe

That's where you're completely wrong, TWOC fundamentally differs from Theft as there is absolutely no requirement on the part of the prosecution to prove the intention to permanently deprive as per S1 Theft Act 1968.
Ex Traffic Police Officer of 30yrs standing.

Yes and I would report him to the police - what if he had killed someone! And lock your keys away!

Tbete is a chance he has been caught on a traffic camera (speeding for example). That could be a very awkward dilemna for any parent.

Hell yes. It doesn’t have to be forever, just until he’s realises what an idiot he has been. I would also not let him know that it’s only a temporary ban.

He has got off incredibly lightly. Worse case, he could have killed himself and/or others. Not quite as bad was him getting pulled over by the police, being in all kinds of legal shit and hit with a ban before he’d even got his license.

I would also tell mine he is incredibly lucky I’ve not reported him to the police for taking without consent and driving without a licence and uninsured. I know teenagers are dumb (I was and so is my 15 year old) but JFC. There need to be some serious consequences for this stupid, dangerous, illegal behaviour.