I lived in a town and my Dad used to take me to an old disused army base on Cannock Chase when I was about 14. The buildings had been removed but the road layout remained and on a Sunday afternoon there were quite a few cars cruising round doing the same thing.

My kids were driving Defenders and Tractors on my wife's family farm as soon as they could see over the dashboard and work the pedals. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

The first car I drove was also the first car my dad bought - a 1939 Ford Ten Prefect that he got when I was 14 in 1958. My first drive was in the summer of 1959, on Southport beach. The beach at low tide is a vast expanse of flat sand - used in those days as both a car park and a landing/takeoff strip for pleasure flights in a biplane. Ours - 2008 Stornoway Grey HSE Auto
Tricia's - 2006 Royal Blue Beetle Cabriolet Auto
Mine - 2014 Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport Matt Black
Ours - 2007 White Bailey Pageant Champagne

I passed my test in Loughborough in 1976 in the July heatwave, after 7 lessons, in a 1975 Hillman Imp!
had to do hand signals too which is why it was a good job it was hot as the all the windows were down all the time anyway thus saving me a job of winding them for each hand signal.

A ford camper van, by the time I got to Wales from Kent I could drive quite well 2008 xs
Snorkel
raised axle/gearbox breathers
Mantec tank guard
Cb radio
Blanked EGR
Sump guard
Scratches
Snolkle

It would have been about 1957-8, aged 10 or 11 at the old Sopley airfield in the New Forest. The car (my Dad's) was a '48 Austin 16 in dark blue with black wings - all leather interior, tool kit tray under the glove box & built-in 4-wheel jacking system. They don't make 'em like that any more  10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

Well, I was a little bit naughty as a teenager and so were my mates so our first drives were in other people's cars who hadn't given us permission. Those were the days when you could shine a torch in a car, read the actual key number on the ignition switch, go to the local petrol station and buy a FP 357 key for half a crown off of the board that was hanging up and away you went! Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

I still have a FA501 & FP636 on one of my key rings - used to fit the crew doors on the Vulcan fleet!  10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

I learnt to drive in the Lake District when I was 14 in an ancient Austin Champ with a Rolls Royce engine. It was similar to a Willys Jeep and would go anywhere. All other vehicle were easy to drive after that!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Champ - 2007(57) XS Auto, Rimini Red, Alpaca Leather.
- GCS Hawke - Sports, BRG, Vulcan 2.1 inj'. My toy - built it myself in 2001.

I was approx 11 in an old bedford ha van on the farm tracks,
Had my first on highway crash when 16 in a land rover, put it on its side, mate was in back with a push bike and a heavy tool box, had to cycle home get a tractor and rope to stand it up again, 3am. told my dad the straw stack fell onto LR, cost £50 to mend
sort of skidded sideways into hedge,which slowly collapsed until car was on its side, lucky

moral of story dont go on holiday and leave your kids the car keys  At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

In 1975 I had a Reliant 3 wheeler which I drove on my motorcycle licence (passed my bike test 2 days after my 17th birthday). Had one lesson with a mates dad (who was a driving instructor) to get used to 4 wheels and then took my test in his car (and passed). Then bought a 1600 Mk1 Capri as my 1st proper car at the tender age of 18. FL2 Metropolis, Loire Blue, ebony/ivory

My first driving experience was at 16 years old in 1984 in a maroon coloured Maxi 1750 on the remains of the runways & taxiways at what was previously RAF Lindolme being taught by my dad. It was a very bad experience with lots of shouting on his part and I didn't bother learning to drive properly until 15 years later when I passed first time after 8 lessons with a very clam instructor. In between I joined the RAF and whilst on swing shifts on 29 Squadron based at Coningsby I learned to off road (sort of) in old RAF land rovers on the rough ground around the backs of the dispersed HAS (hardened aircraft shelters) - great fun!

As per CG's post, don't go on holiday and leave the keys to the car laying about.

Been there, done that when my parents were away. Unfortunately, when he was old enough and thought he was good enough, so did my son! Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

13 in a mk1 Renault 5 with a clutch pedal that to me felt like it had six feet of travel

Must have been about 1962 ish, in a Grey Riley with running boards and a fluid flywheel.

When I was away I always left keys with my daughter to move the Land Rovers daily to create an illusion that there were people about the house all the time. She started doing that about age 14 and now drives a Defender for work - they asked at the interview about driving and she was honestly able to say she had been driving her dad's Land Rovers for 16 years. They never asked, she never said, that she passed test last autumn! Everyone can spread it - Anyone can catch it. Stay home - the life you save can be your own!