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A driver's license (US English) or driving licence (UK English) is an official document that states that a person may operate one or more types of motorized vehicles, such as a motorcycle, car, truck, or a bus, on a public roadway without in-vehicle supervision. The laws relating to the licensing of drivers vary between jurisdictions. In some jurisdictions, a license is issued after the recipient has passed a driving test, while in others, a person acquires a license before beginning to drive. Different categories of license often exist for different types of motor vehicles, particularly large trucks and passenger vehicles. The difficulty of the driving test varies considerably between jurisdictions, as do factors such as age and the required level of practice. ==History== Karl Benz, inventor of the modern automobile, had to receive written permission from the Grand Ducal authorities to operate his car on public roads in 1888 after residents complained about the noise and smell of his ''Motorwagen''. Up until the start of the 20th century, European authorities issued licenses to drive motor vehicles similarly ''ad hoc,'' if at all.〔 The first mandatory license requirement for driving was introduced in the Motor Car Act 1903 in the United Kingdom. Every car owner had to register his automobile with his local government authority and be able to prove registration of his vehicle on request. The minimum qualifying age was set at 17. The license gave its holder 'freedom of the road' with a maximum speed limit. Compulsory testing was introduced in 1934, with the passing of the Road Traffic Act. Prussia, then one region of the German Empire, introduced compulsory licensing on September 29, 1903. A test on mechanical aptitude had to be passed and the ''Dampfkesselüberwachungsverein'' ("steam boiler supervision association") was charged with conducting these tests.〔 In 1910, the German imperial government mandated the licensing of drivers on a national scale, establishing a system of tests and driver's education requirements that was adopted in other countries.〔 Other countries in Europe also introduced driving tests during the twentieth century, the last of them being Belgium where, until 1977, it was possible to purchase and hold a license without having to undergo a driving test. As automobile-related fatalities soared in North America, public outcry provoked legislators to begin studying the French and German statutes as models.〔Anonymous, "Better Auto Laws Are Now Needed," ''New York Times'', 1907-08-18, S3.〕 On August 1, 1910, North America's first licensing law for motor vehicles went into effect in the US state of New York, though it initially applied only to professional chauffeurs.〔Frederick H. Elliott, "Working Out New Auto Law In New York," ''New York Times 1910-10-16, 3.〕 In July 1913, the state of New Jersey became the first to require ''all'' drivers to pass a mandatory examination before receiving a license. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Driver's license」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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