Public Beach

[Machine man]

Weston Super Mare in Somerset has a large beach that you can drive on . Entry is free out of season. Can I teach my 16 year old son to drive on it ? If not any ideas where I can ?

[NORMANTHEDOG]

there is NO point in teaching him on a beach,he needs to be on a road,and not till he is 17,and as he is 16,with no licence,insurance,etc it is against the law,and you could get nicked as well if stopped by police.

[spaced]

I was just about to say that driving on sand or a beach is completely different to driving on a road.

He cannot be taught how to drive until he is 17 and has a provisional licence.

You mad man!

[mccfluff]

i dorve on that beach with my dad, wouldn't recommend it now though! i'd wait till he's 17 and you can get him insured on your car!

[tubeway]

Around here - most people drove on North Weald Airfield before they were 17 (although it was illegal) - There were so many accidents, then the police stopped it - and now there are other things there so it is impossible to drive on.

I know your son is keen to drive but I am sure that he can wait another year. A beach is not a good place to learn to drive, and what if he were to damage something - or someone - who would handle the claim?

[New Judge]

Apart from not being the ideal surface upon which to learn to drive, if access to the beach is such that it is open to anybody to drive or walk on it, it will fall under the interpretation of �other public place� for the purposes of the various Road Traffic laws.

This means your son will need the appropriate licence (and comply with any conditions of that licence such as �L� pates and supervision), valid insurance and the vehicle must have an MoT certificate if needed.

Obviously since he is only sixteen he cannot hold such a licence.

[buildersmate]

And apart from all that, the salty sand will wreck your car.

[jd_here]

Your son can drive on private property at any age, I would recommend a tarmac surface though. I gave my 3 children the basics of driving on a privately owned old runway from their 16th birthday, they all passed 1st time and in under 10 lessons each. The instructor who taught them was responsible for that of course, but having the basics helped. I would also suggest that you give your son as much road practice as possible after he turns 17 WITHOUT trying to teach him youself, leave that to the driving school. JD