IT HAS LONG BEEN OUR contention that driver training needs to start far earlier than it currently does, especially in Australia.
Behaviours are ingrained at an early age, and driver training that starts at 16 or 17 years of age does little to change established attitudes and habits.
The UK, unlike Australia, recognises the need to start training driver much earlier. A new training program is letting children as young as 10 swap the classroom for the driving seat in a high performance hot hatch (and wouldn’t we all have loved that opportunity when we were much younger?).
Designed to give youngsters, some still of primary school age, the basic skills of driving a fully functioning car, the new junior driving lessons are now available with TrackDays.
Once behind the wheel, children learn how to accelerate, steer, brake and change gear – all the basic requirements needed to drive a car, giving participants a head start and confidence for when the time comes to learn for their driving test.
Dan Jones, operations manager at TrackDays.co.uk, said: “Confidence and experience are key when learning to drive a car. Youngsters with more miles behind them will benefit from a self-assuredness that comes through early years of practice.”
Each junior driving experience is tailored so it is based on the child’s driving ability, including if the youngster has any previous skills of driving a vehicle.
This unique driving experience is also behind the wheel of no ordinary car but a Ford Fiesta ST complete with a 1.6 litre Ecoboost Turbocharged engine, 17-inch alloy wheels and half leather Recaro competition seats.
Dan added: “As well as being educational, these Under 17 driving experiences are also great fun and provide an alternative activity for youngsters to enjoy, whether they are staying close to home over the holidays with a staycation or looking for some excitement during term time.”
Meanwhile, for those even more adventurous children then there’s also the chance to test their driving skills in a supercar, including Ferraris, Lamborghinis, McLarens and Aston Martins, at venues across the UK.
Jealous? You bet we are! When we were young, all we were offered was a dinky little track vaguely emulating public roads, which we rode around on tricycles or, at best, pedal cars.