Q Is it legal for a 17-year-old to drive a 3-ton
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Bedford with a 5-ton load, without first having passed a heavy goods vehicle test?
The unladen weight of the vehicle is 2 tons 17cwt. Also I have reason to believe that there are moves to reduce the age limit from 21 to 18 (CM December 5, 1969, page 25). Could you tell me if there is any chance of this coming about?
A'So far as age limits on driving com
mercial vehicles are concerned, any person under 21 year of age is currently alloweo to drive motor vehicles including goods vehicles weighing up to 3 tons unladen It is, therefore, quite in order for a 17-year-old to drive the Bedford mentioned in your question.
The h q v driving licence scheme does not apply to rigid vehicles not exceeding 3 tons unladen weight, so it will be in order to continue driving this type of vehicle until reaching the age of 21, when it will be necessary for an h.g.v, driving test to be taken to qualify to drive a heavier vehicle.
The question of dropping the age limit from 21 to 18 is one that only Parliament can decide, and while it is thought that there is a good chance of this coming about, we believe that this would take a long time.