To prepare for the practical driving test, you can drive with a learner's permit, but the driver's inexperience necessitates certain precautions. The Highway Code requires a companion aged no more than 65 years old, who has held a driver's license for at least ten years, to be present in the vehicle. Additionally, it mandates the display of a sign with the letter "P" for "principiante" (beginner) to alert other road users to the inexperienced driver.
Displaying the "P" is mandatory for anyone driving with a learner's permit. However, displaying the sign is not required for driving school cars, which are equipped with other adequate signals. Failure to comply with this obligation results in a penalty ranging from a minimum of 87 to a maximum of 345 euros.
What characteristics must this sign have? Of course, you can purchase ready-made signs that comply with legal regulations. But if you prefer to "do it yourself," here are some guidelines to meet all the requirements set out in an implementing regulation of the Highway Code.
Two signs are needed, to be applied to both the front and rear of the vehicle. The "P" must be uppercase, black, and of precise dimensions: 12 cm high and 9 cm wide at the front, 20 cm high and 18 cm wide at the back. The background must be white, made of retroreflective material. Here too, precise measurements: 15 cm high and 12 cm wide at the front, while at the back it should be 30 cm for both dimensions.
Once the exam is passed and the license obtained, the sign is no longer mandatory. Many still choose to keep it while waiting to gain more experience. A good idea, which encourages experienced drivers to be more tolerant. Who among us has not had a sympathetic smile when seeing a car with the "P" sign stall at a traffic light?
