I won some BIG auntie points this weekend when I took my 12 year old nephew Kieran for a driving lesson.
Admiral Young Driver lessons are suitable for children aged 11 and over, and kids learn to drive in regular dual control cars just like they will when they turn 17. Kieran’s lesson was in a Skoda Citigo. They are a small car, making them perfect for young learners.
We were booked in for 10am, so we arrived 15 minutes earlier to book in. Registration took just a couple of minutes and Kieran’s lesson started on time. His instructor, Shirley, was patient, friendly and encouraging throughout the lesson and Kieran felt relaxed, confident and – most importantly for me – safe.
Learners are given a booklet on arrival at their first Admiral Young Driver lesson which serves as a record of what they’ve covered in each lesson and the progress they make. Kieran made great progress during his one hour lesson and he was thrilled to read that he had completed level one and would progress to level 2 on his next lesson, as long as he can remember what he learned!
Kieran isn’t the kind of kid who gets over excited or giddy. When I told him about the lesson he just smiled, so at best I was hoping for him to say it was ‘good’ or ‘alright’. He’s a man of few words to say the least.
Once he’d finished his lesson I asked how it went and he was literally bursting with enthusiasm. He must’ve said ‘I’m so glad I went’, ‘That was so much fun’ and ‘Thank you so much’ five or six times each on the way home. He told me about everything they covered in the lesson including reversing, turning, driving through small spaces, pretending they were going through a drive through and even picking up speeds fast enough to use third gear. Kieran can’t wait to go back for another lesson.
A shocking 1 in 5 newly qualified drivers crash within 6 months of passing their test. Admiral wanted to address this and so started Young Driver which is now running nationwide. These lessons are more expensive than regular driving lessons but they provide a fantastic knowledge base for youngsters to build on once they reach 17. If something can be done to reduce the number of teenagers in car accidents, then it can only be a good thing. To find out more and to book your Young Driver visit the Young Driver website. Be warned – these lessons book up quickly. The next availability where we are isn’t until mid December now so if you’re booking for a Christmas gift you might want to get a wriggle on.
*Disclaimer: Kieran’s lesson was provided to us without charge for the purpose of this review. Opinions and photos are my own.
That looks so much fun. It reminds me of my dad trying to give me a driving lesson when I was 15 in his Japanese imported “super car”… the car scared me so I politely refused. He should have had a CitiGo! haha
I’m not sure your dad would’ve preferred the Citigo lol