Welcome to the Learn to Drive at 16 website. My name is Matt, I am the Owner and Chief Driving Instructor (A.D.I) for the Under 17 Driving programme in Swindon, Wiltshire.
I set up the off road driving programme to give 16 year olds a chance to learn to drive, prior to their on road driving lessons, in a safe environment. I firmly believe that learning to drive is more than just being able to control the car and obey the rules of the road. It is also about understanding that driving can be a dangerous activity and, that as drivers, we are responsible for a potentially lethal weapon. So that is why the Learn to Drive at 16 programme focuses on driver responsibility just as much as it does on being able to control the car.
I am pleased to announce that the Learn to Drive at 16 programme is now available to 14 year olds. Most off road driving lessons, for under 17's, are only available to 16 year olds due to the insurance restrictions. I have negotiated a special deal with my insurance company to allow me to offer training to anyone aged 14 years and upwards.
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From July to August I will be running a Summer Driving School. It will last for the whole day and will include the chance to drive in different types of weather conditions. I have also secured a 58 acre site, for 3 days in August, for off road driver training.
There will be more information about the courses and dates soon.
Our unique position means that your driving session can form part of a fun day out, with the whole family.
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There has been a lot of discussion, in the last few weeks, about whether it is suitable to teach under 17 year olds to drive. Inside Out on BBC 1 will profile the Under 17 Car Club that runs in Wiltshire.
The Under 17 Car Club has been running for over 20 years and has proven that teaching young people to drive before they are 17 has been very beneficial for them. In a recent survey, published by The Under 17 Car Club, they showed that when their students passed the Driving Test, at 17, they had a higher pass rate and a lower incidence of crashes and points on their licences. This was compared to the DSA published Pass Rates and the figures that are produced each year by the Office for National Statistics detailing young drivers activities whilst driving on the road.
The Under 17 Car Club is a club rather than a training organisation. They do not employ anyone to teach the under 17 year olds to drive. All the driving instruction is done by the parents in their own cars with Under 17 Car Club Instructors on hand to check on the progress of the young driver. The club is run by the parents for the young drivers.
The members are the young people who are under 17 and their parents are known as associates. The club is not open to new members, who are aged over 15, and as it has a limit on how many people that they can accept each year.
The reason for writing about The Under 17 Car Club on my site is because they prove that learning to drive at sixteen or younger is very beneficial for the young person. This is in marked contrast to Inspector Alan Jones, from the Police Federation of England and Wales, and Kevin Clinton, from Rospa, who's views are only based on an opinion. This article from the Swindon Advertiser has more information.
The programme airs on BBC1 Inside Out (West) on Monday 1st March 2010 at 19:30
It's good to see that a big car company like Seat are recognising the value of teaching under 17's to drive in a safe off road environment. Their Young Driver programme was featured in The Telegraph recently.
The Young Driver Programme, run by Seat, is sponsored by Admiral Multicar. Admiral Multicar say that research shows that accident rates are reduced by 40 per cent if a person, aged under 17, has had some formal off road driving tuition before they start driving on the road.
I am mentioning Seat's Young Driver programme on my site because it gives you a chance to see that what I am offering is unique amongst the under 17 driving courses, that are available out there.
At the end of your first Learn to Drive at sixteen session you will get a pack to take away with you.
The Pack will contain:
Handouts will be given to you at the end of most sessions. For special courses, like the Easter Teen Driving Experience, you will receive a pack from Brake the road safety charity
We are also able to offer an Adverse Weather Simulation Course using a state of the art Skidcar. This programme is unique to us.
Learn to Drive at Sixteen sessions run on Sundays and Saturdays throughout the year. Weekdays are available on request. There is more information available on the Drive at 16 page. Check the Session Dates for availability.
