The Under 17 Car Club
The Under 17 Car Club is a club where people under the age of 17 can drive motor vehicles. It was started in 1976 by author Sandy Barrie who realised there was no opportunity for youngsters under seventeen to drive cars. The Club is run entirely by volunteers with no full or part-time paid staff.
The aim of the club is “to enable under age drivers to practice and improve their driving skills legally and safely, in a variety of different vehicles, under properly supervised conditions, and to take an active interest in cars and motor sport and ultimately to produce safer young drivers on our roads at age 17 and beyond”.
Grading system
The club has a grading system, designed to help members progress to driving test standard.
- Ungraded - On first joining you are ungraded
- Grade 5 - After taking a skills test and passing you become grade 5 and can go forwards and backwards competently
- Grade 4 - You have mastered manoeuvres and roundabouts
- Grade 3 - Your driving is smooth and safe and you have good car control
- Grade 2 - Your driving shows finesse, you can drive a car at motorway speeds safely and are at the driving test standard
- Grade 1 - You are competent at all aspects of motoring including mechanics
- Grade X - You show outstanding skill at driving and are an exceptionally safe driver
Activities
The club offers many activities at different venues These include:
- Skill Tests
- Advanced Car control
- Truck Day
- Magic Day
- AGM
- Team Challenge
Meeting places
The Club meets at several venues around the UK, including:
- Long Marston Airfield
- Castle Combe Circuit
- Throckmorton Airfield
- Bovington Tank Proving Ground
- Alconbury Airfield
Well known members
One of the most famous members of the club was Richard Burns, who joined the club in 1982, and went on to become the first Englishman to win the World Rally Championship in 2001. Burns was patron of the club until his death in 2005
External links
- http://www.under17-carclub.co.uk - Main Club Website
- http://www.under17driver.co.uk - Pathfinder Programme Website
- http://www.u17ccctrust.org - Charitable Trust Website