List of countries by minimum driving age
The minimum driving age is the minimum age at which a person may obtain a driver's licence to lawfully drive a motor vehicle on public roads. That age is determined by and for each jurisdiction and is most commonly set at 18 years of age, but learner drivers may be permitted on the road at an earlier age under supervision. Before reaching the minimum age for a driver's licence or anytime afterwards, the person wanting the licence would normally be tested for driving ability and knowledge of road rules before being issued with a licence, provided he or she is above the minimum driving age. Countries with the lowest driving ages (17 and below) are Canada, El Salvador, Iceland, Israel, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the United Kingdom (Mainland), United States and Zimbabwe. In several jurisdictions in the United States and Canada, drivers can be as young as 14.
Driver licence in New Zealand
Before 1 August 2011, someone could apply for a learner licence from the age of 15, and subsequently apply for a restricted licence by 15 and a half years of age, allowing unsupervised driving with certain restrictions, and finally a full licence by 16 and a half years of age. The minimum driver licensing age was raised by one year to 16 years of age since 1 August 2011, so the earliest someone can drive unsupervised is 16 and a half years of age. This change was initially met with opposition from people living in rural or remote areas. Many teenagers in rural areas learn to drive "on the farm" from the age of 12 by using farm equipment such as tractors. From a family day planning perspective, it is easier for students living in rural areas without access to public transport to drive themselves to school, when they become old enough to drive.