Young drivers

9 November 2021

If you’re anything like me, you would have got your licence on your eighteenth birthday, am I right? Thought so.

Across Australia, it varies from state to state, but in Victoria it’s generally accepted people must be 18 years old to hit the road alone. So, how does Australia compare to those abroad?

In some US states, drivers can be as young as 14, albeit with supervision.

In Central America, you can drive with supervision at 15 in El Salvador, and at 16 with parent approval in Guatemala and Panama.

In Japan, riders can hit the road on a motorcycle at 16 (under 400cc), and motorbikes under 125cc in South Korea.

Meanwhile, in South America, with parental approval, people can drive a car at 17 in Argentina and Chile.

However, a driver cannot get behind the wheel until they’re 23 in the Republic of Niger, West Africa.

Have you got a young driver at home eager to explore the wide-open road?

Age limits and vehicle guidelines are important discussion topics. In Victoria, for example, probationary drivers cannot drive a vehicle that has a power-to-mass ratio of more than 130kW per tonne, or an engine that’s been modified to beef-up performance. V8s? Forget about it.

So, it pays to do your homework and get your kids in the right vehicle. Visit the VicRoads website for all the legal and regulatory stuff, and buy from a trusted Licensed Motor Car Trader when it comes time to get some wheels.

And while I’m at it, buy your children a decent vehicle – one with airbags and all the safety gear that will keep them alive if things go pear-shaped out on the road.

See ya on the road, folks!

Words: VACC ambassador Shane Jacobson.

Want to hear more from Shane? Catch him – along with co-hosts Greg Rust and VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym – on THE GRILLE podcast each month. There'll be auto news and views, industry insights and trends, special guests, and plenty of laughs along the way. Visit: thegrillepodcast.com.au