WHIZZ KIDS
Children aged 8 caught speeding
CHILDREN as young as eight have been caught speeding on UK roads.
Three eight-year-olds were stopped by police in the past 18 months – two for speeding and one for failing to stop at traffic lights.
They were among a total of 563 children aged 16 and under who took to the roads illegally and put other drivers at risk.
Eighty-one youngsters under the age of 14 have received endorsements on a licence they are too young to legally hold.
Offences include reckless or careless driving, speeding and a failure to follow road signs.
A further three 12-yearolds and 18 children aged
13 were also caught driving without a licence between 2017 and 2018.
In 2017 a staggering 55 youngsters aged 14 were pulled over, 46 of whom were driving dangerously.
Courts currently impose bans on underage drivers who don’t have a licence.
The DVLA is handed the information after the offender has appeared in court.
The points are held on a record and when they apply for a GB licence the authorities are notified of any convictions.
According to the RAC, incidents of underage drivers are on the increase.
In February, a 15-year-old boy caused the deaths of five people in a horror smash and was jailed for four-anda-half years.
The driver, who cannot be named, killed Elliott and Ellis Thornton-Kimmitt, Darnell Harte, inset top, Robbie Meerun and Anthony Armour, inset bottom, after the stolen vehicle hit a tree in Leeds. The road safety charity Brake said the statistics for underage drivers were “deeply concerning”.
Joshua Harris, director of campaigns at the charity, said: “These findings highlight just how much more needs to be done to educate young people and their parents about the dangers of underage driving. “By their very nature, underage drivers don’t have the skills or experience to drive safely on our roads.” The Ministry of Justice has previously said it is looking into reforming the law and penalties for offenders.