Learning to drive is a significant milestone in a young person’s life but the costs associated with learning, coupled with the prospect of ever increasing car insurance premiums once the test is passed, can be quite a daunting prospect.
The Driving Standards Agency suggest that it is very unlikely that anyone except an approved driving instructor will have the knowledge and experience necessary to teach learner drivers properly. Research conducted by the agency shows that the average number of professional lessons required to pass a test is 47, along with 20 hours of private practice with someone who has held their driving licence for at least 3 years and is over the age of 21.
According to the AA driving school the average cost of a driving lesson in the UK currently is £24, which makes the prospect of having to afford 47 quite expensive; particularly among a group who are already being hit by increased education fees and a pressurised job market.
All of that said, currently there is no ruling to dictate that professional lessons have to be taken at all. Research carried out with young drivers by learner driver insurer Provisional Marmalade highlighted a worrying trend among this group to ignore the advice given by the Driving Standards Association and spend twice the amount of time practising with a family member rather than a professional instructor in an attempt to save money.
Car insurance comparison site Tiger.co.uk has looked into the average costs associated to getting on the road for learner and newly qualified drivers, demonstrating just how costly it can be – this can be even more for male drivers who continue to pay much higher insurance premiums!
PROVISIONAL DRIVING LICENCE £50
DRIVING LESSONS (BASED ON 47 @ £24) £1,128
LEARNER DRIVER INSURANCE FOR 3 MONTHS* £256
TEST FEE’S (THEORY AND PRACTICAL) £106
COST OF A USED CAR ** £1,350
ROAD TAX £130
AVERAGE COST OF INSURANCE*** £2,431
TOTAL £5,451
If the recent appeal by road safety charity Brake to move to a graduated licensing scheme is adopted by MPs, then a minimum learning period of a year prior to taking a test could be enforced, along with a firm ruling on how many hours tuition must be taken with a professional. This means that learners may end up having to pay out even more on tuition fees but in the longer term it should lessen the chances of them having a serious accident.
A spokesperson from car insurance comparison site Tiger.co.uk commented; “At first glance these costs may appear high but they are normally spread out over a period of time, and a lot of families and individuals make provision for this with savings. Whether changes are made to the licensing system in the UK or not, the more time spent behind the wheel when learning has to be a good thing if it prevents younger drivers having accidents once they are qualified. In the past, practicing with a friend or family member has been problematic due to the cost associated to adding a learner to an existing standard policy and risking loss of a friend or family member’s no-claims bonus. Now there are more options.
"We have now partnered with Provisional Marmalade who provide policies specifically for learner drivers practicing in someone else’s car. Cover can be bought on a monthly basis for up to 3 months and the cover is fully comprehensive. Equally, once qualified, younger driver car insurance need not be un-affordable. Developments in telematics technology has resulted in a number of insurers offering policies using real driving data to price insurance, often meaning younger drivers can get a cheaper deal. There are also some clever ways in which young drivers can get cheaper car insurance. We have published a ‘Guide To Car Insurance for Young Drivers’ to provide guidance on this and it can be found in the news area of the Tiger.co.uk site”.
* Based on cost of provisional insurance provided by Provisional Marmalade for 3 months for a driver in an Ipswich postcode.
** Parkers book price for a 2002 Ford Focus 1.4CL 3 door
*** AA Insurance Premium Index – average cost for young drivers (male and female) April 2011
Source : www.pressdispensary.co.uk
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