First Drive Experiences

Is your child a fan of driving based console games? Have you happened upon them sneaking a go in the driver’s seat of your car thinking no one’s looking? Or maybe they’re just too eager to wait until their 17th birthday to start their driving lessons?

Driving Experience understands this, and we have the perfect solution to this with our First Drive driving experience programme for junior drivers. We have developed it with the junior and first time driver aged 10 - 16 years old in mind.

We believe that learning to drive and developing a passion for driving is one of the most important milestones they’ll achieve as they enter their teenage years. After all, we can all remember that surge of excitement at having our first taste of freedom and independence in our first car.

First Drive is a great opportunity for them to get a taste of what they can expect when they start driving on the roads for real. And given the advancement in motoring just within the last decade, The National Driving Test is understandably getting more difficult each time.

Choosing a First Drive experience with us is not only a fantastic gift idea, but it is an investment in your son or daughter’s future, providing them with an invaluable skills set that will stand them in good stead and give them the confidence to get behind the wheel when they begin driving lessons full time.

Let’s face it - we dare say even Stirling Moss himself didn’t start out a total pro behind the wheel. After all, being in control of any vehicle, but especially a car, is one of great responsibility and careful handling, which is a lot of pressure on young shoulders. Even just starting the engine can seem a daunting prospect when they get in for the first time.

That pressure is eradicated with a First Drive driving experience. From the start, your junior driver will be guided through and become accustomed to the workings of a car. We believe that their first time should be as easy as possible for them, and however long their session is with us, we hope it fills in the gap on the amount of time needed for adjustment when they begin driving lessons as a 17 year old.

Now, we hear you. Is my child really going to be learning to drive at a race track or circuit track? Yes they are, but rest assured that all our First Drive experience packages always take place away from any busier tracks, on a quieter and smaller stretch, meaning that they’re in the safest environment possible.

All of our First Drive experience packages will see them behind the wheel of a dual controlled car, including the BMW 1 Series, Mazda MX-5 or Renault Clio. They will also be accompanied with our fully trained, CRB checked expert ADI instructors. They will make a full assessment of your child’s abilities behind the wheel, ensuring that the correct information is imparted and that learning is tailored to their individual needs.

Under their guidance, your junior driver will learn how to pull away perfectly, steer correctly, and how to come to a safe stop. Dependent on their proficiency, they will also learn about gear changes, using the rear and side view mirrors, how to position the car and also how to make a reverse.

On some packages, there is the opportunity to add additional extras such as a photo call or even to take a diary with them detailing what they’ve learnt for them to look back at for future reference when the time comes for them to start full time driving lessons.

And best of all, we offer this invaluable driving experience day at many great locations around the UK, including North Weald Airfield in Essex and Bovingdon Airfield in Hertfordshire to name but several, so wherever you are in the UK there is a First Drive driving experience nearer to you than you think.

To take part in our First Drive Driving Experience days, we require that all juniors are aged between 10 - 16 years old, and reach our minimum height requirement of 4’ 10” (147cm).

Important Booking Information for First Drive Experiences

There are two easy ways for you to purchase a First Drive Driving Experience on Driving Experience. You can either purchase one of our open 10-month gift vouchers or book directly onto a date of your choice from our available dates on our events calendar.

If you cannot see any dates on the voucher page, then simply e-mail or call us and our customer service team can give you the most up to date availability. If you wish to make a bespoke package, or are interested in making one of our driving experiences into a group event, please contact us by going to our Group Booking page and filling in our enquiry form.

If you buy an open gift voucher for a First Drive package, the standard validity period to use the voucher is 10 months. However, please make sure you check this first, as some First Drive vouchers and special offers may have a shorter or longer validity.

If you are booking directly onto a date for a driving experience, please note that you are making a booking request, and the date and time that you choose will still be subject to availability.

We usually confirm bookings within 48 hours, but we ask that you do not make any arrangements in conjunction with your booking request until you have received your final confirmation email. The receipt we send you after making a booking request is not your confirmation.

Other important things to consider when purchasing driving experiences for First Drive is that the junior driver meets all requirements in terms of age, weight and height. These requirements are unique to each driving experience, so please ensure you have read the important information thoroughly. If you place a booking for a driving experience, and the driver doesn’t meet the requirements on the day, then it is unlikely they will be able to drive the vehicle, in which case they will be offered a passenger ride.