Thread: what age to teach how to drive

Like most of my family I was steering the car out west from, well, I can't remember when, and about 9 when I was tall enough to be shown the ropes. We lived on the edge of the Tanami at that time and Da and I spent afternoons looking at old diggings and just getting out for a look and whatnot, so Da thought it might be prudent that I could get us home if he broke a leg or had a run in with a snake. Paddock bombs also followed. Shooting trips as a kid, I was the driver so everybody else got to shoot = everyone happy.

As already said, learning to drive as early as possible makes it much easier to deal with traffic as a separate issue when you do get a learner licence. Plus you've got all the time in the world to teach them properly, rather than a teenage know-it-all desperate to get a licence in 6wks flat (how long is it now anyway?)

Suzuki is ideal but definitely invest in a rollbar and window nets even. Lock the transfer into low & remove the stick (BTW reverse is bottom right on all of em). Maybe even put a stop on the accelerator, a piece of pvc tube split lengthways & slipped over the cable would do the trick easily enough.

Make the kids put fuel in it with their own pocket money earnt honestly and make sure it's loud & clear that if they get carried away and break it, it may take quite a while for them to clean enough gutters to repair it....

I learnt on a Grey Fergie, then an Austin 1800 Ute, then the Beasty V8 P76, then a mazda 929....

I learnt to drive when I was about 8 had an 88 inch Land Rover with blocks of hardwood on the pedals.
I think its a good thing for kids to learn early I recall the copper who took me for a driving test in a 109 inch Wagon he just looked at me and said you have been driving a while havent you.
Suzukis can be a bit quick and light as a young fella I probably would of rolled a Suzuki.

I learned to drive on a Model T, a 1923 Reo, a Swift, and then got my licence on an Austin 16. My first car (shared with my twin) was a 36hp VW pickup, then a 1956 Series 1 - after my first job involved Landrover driving.

John

I learnt when I was about 12 in a mini.

The truth is you have been teaching him by example all his life! we all hope he has had a good teacher of responsibility before he hits the highway. The practical side of driving skills is best judged by you.

It's interesting the number of people who learnt at 10-12. I also learnt at that age on a tractor, got to drive home from school in the ute once we hit the dirt from about 13 as well.
I'd put some limits on where the kids can drive unescorted though.
Regards,
Tote

I crashed my first car when I was 12, trying to do fish tails, gemini, next door neighbours fence and a 2' bank and a 10" tree

Best lesson I ever learnt

And I'm mush better at fishtails now