Tag: learner drivers

Calls to do more to support young drivers as learner costs hit £2.5K

Learners are now paying 215% more for driving lessons than they did thirty years ago, with more young people being excluded from getting behind the wheel due to financial pressures.*

Now car insurance experts at Quotezone.co.uk are calling for more regulation for the cost of learning to drive. 

This comes after many simply cannot afford the expense as young people are estimated to pay over £2500 to get their licence.

Credit – Shutterstock

Quotezone.co.uk has researched the average amount of money a learner today will end up paying from start to finish.

Before even getting behind the wheel, learners in the UK must apply for a provisional driving licence, costing them £34 to apply online or £43 by post.

Next, the biggest expense, is finding a driving instructor suitable and getting enough practice in to take the test.

The Government’s ‘Ready to Pass’ campaign claims that the average learner will take 45 hours of lessons with their instructor plus 22 hours of private practice.**

Taking into account that the average 1 hour lesson costs £30, learners are expected to fork out £1,350 to pay instructors.***

Paying to actually take the driving test is another expense learners cannot avoid – pupils must pass both the theory test (£23) and the practical test (£62 for weekday tests rising to £75 on the weekend).****

Additional fees at the test-taking stage include paid-for apps to practise theory test questions, and many driving instructors will also require payment for learners to use the car when taking their test.

Overall, learners are now paying £2707 to learn to drive, not including the cost of more driving lessons and more tests if they are unsuccessful after the first try. 

Every year around 1.6 million nervous Brits buckle up to sit their practical driving test, and the pass rate as a whole falls just shy of 50% – dropping to 46% on average for female drivers.

Comparatively, reports show that learners in the 1980s and 90s paid an average of just £10 an hour – meaning lessons alone are costing pupils today £900 more.

Greg Wilson, Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk said: “Learning to drive is a rite of passage and the worry is young people aren’t getting the option to learn, as the rising costs are making it unaffordable.

“More regulation on the cost of driving lessons and other mandatory fees would help young people get out on the roads and also help ensure they don’t cut corners.

“Having a more affordable pathway to learn to drive will also encourage pupils to take their time before booking a test and in turn help reduce the growing driving test backlog seen across the country.”

Learners also have to tax and insure the vehicle and indeed the vehicle cost itself if they don’t have access to a family car, it’s beginning to make driving unattainable for young drivers.

As a price comparison site, Quotezone.co.uk is designed to help young drivers find competitive costs by comparing products and exploring alternative options such as black box or telematics products.

For all types of competitive car insurance including temporary learner drivers and provisional drivers insurance, Quotezone.co.uk can help. 

Driving Essentials for LearnersEstimated Cost
Provisional driving licence £34 to apply online (or £43 by post)
Driving lessons £1,350 (£30 per hour x 45 hours)
Driving theory test £23
Driving practical test £62 for weekday tests (rising to £75 on the weekend)
Revision materials Revision app £5
Instructors car for the test £60 (£30 per hour x 2 at lesson fee rate)
Vehicle Tax £145 (although tbc on vehicle specifics)
Average Insurance Estimate17-24 year olds £1028 (tbc on driver/vehicle specifics)
Estimated Total £2707

Not including the cost of the vehicle itself, assuming most learners have access to a family vehicle initially

*https://www.nationwidevehiclecontracts.co.uk/car-leasing/young-drivers/guides/uk-driving-test-report

**https://readytopass.campaign.gov.uk/helping-learner-driver/

***https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence

****https://www.gov.uk/driving-test-cost

New drivers urged to avoid car insurance scams on social media

  • The IFB is warning new drivers to watch out for a rising scam known as ‘Ghost Broking’ which involves bogus car insurance deals being sold on social media, as it could cost them their first car. 
  • The warning comes as hundreds of thousands of learners get set to pass their driving tests as they catch up from the disruption caused by Covid-19.
  • The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) also provides comment.
  • Statistics and campaign content can be found in the notes to newsroom. 

The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) is urging new drivers to watch out for bogus car insurance deals being promoted on social media, as hundreds of thousands of learners* get set to pass their tests following a year of disruption caused by Covid-19.

Fake car insurance sales known as ‘Ghost Broking’ is a growing scam which involves fraudsters pretending to be Insurance Brokers in order to sell unrealistically cheap and completely fake policies, often to younger drivers via Facebook and Instagram.

With a large influx of new drivers on the horizon following confirmation from the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) that driving test centres face an unprecedented challenge to reduce waiting times left by the pandemic, the IFB is warning new motorists to be vigilant to bogus car insurance deals on social media as it could cost them their first car.

Stephen Dalton, Head of Intelligence and Investigations at the IFB, said: “The last thing new drivers need right now is to risk losing their car for no insurance because they’ve been duped by a scammer on social media.

“Drivers must carry out basic checks to make sure they’re buying car insurance through a trusted provider, or they’ll be making a very expensive mistake.

“I encourage anyone who’s seen evidence of an insurance scam to report it to the IFB’s confidential Cheatline online or on 0800 422 0421.” 

Mark Magee, Head of Driver Policy at the DVSA, said: “DVSA’s priority is to help everyone through a lifetime of safe driving.

“As well as ensuring you have the skills, knowledge and understanding attitude to drive safely, having valid insurance is of the utmost importance when you drive on your own.

“Check to make sure insurance brokers are genuine before parting with your money.”

Learner drivers in a driving school are typically covered by their instructor’s insurance policy, until they pass their test and need to take out motor insurance for their first car. With a rush of new drivers approaching and with so many people facing financial hardship, the IFB is concerned it will provide fertile ground for ‘Ghost Broker’ scammers.

Fraudsters often tempt younger people with their bogus car insurance deals by promoting unrealistically cheap prices up front, despite the fact insurance is meant to be priced based on the risk of the individual. They often then encourage contact with them through popular end-to-end encrypted messaging software such as WhatsApp.

The IFB which is a not-for-profit organisation that works with the police to crackdown on organised insurance scams has seen its investigations into ‘Ghost Broking’ double since 2016, and the scam has remained prevalent throughout the pandemic.

IFB investigations have found cash-strapped young drivers forking out hundreds of pounds for car insurance that in reality is worth no more than a photoshopped piece of paper. In some cases scammers also use stolen personal information to take out policies which are then doctored before being sold on to customers.   

Driving without valid insurance is easily detected by police. Uninsured drivers can have their vehicle instantly seized and are likely to receive six licence points. They can also face court where they might receive an unlimited fine and a driving ban. Furthermore, an uninsured driving conviction will show on records and can affect job prospects.

If a collision is caused by the uninsured driver they may also be liable for covering the costs which can run into the thousands.   

Avoiding fake car insurance deals

New drivers are urged to avoid deals on social media or messaging apps and to only purchase car insurance through reputable sellers.

Anyone with evidence of an insurance scam can contact the IFB’s Cheatline which is quick, easy and confidential to use.

The Cheatline can be contacted online or via phoneline (powered by Crimestoppers) on 0800 422 0421.

Pandemic practice makes perfect

Lockdown pass rates hit record high

Learner drivers passed their practical tests at the highest rate ever recorded during the pandemic, according to new figures released by the Department for Transport.

The data, which spans April 2020 to March 2021, shows that 49.8% of learners passed the test, up by 3.9% on 2019-20 figures.

There was more good news for learners taking theory tests, with 55.7% passing, the highest rate since 2013-14 and 8.6% higher than the previous year.

While many learners celebrated receiving their full driving licences, others were unable to take their practical car tests due to the pandemic, with 72.7% fewer practical tests taking place in 2020-21 compared to the previous year. Car theory tests were down by more than 50%.

Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk comments: “Congratulations to all those who passed, just goes to show, practice really does make perfect as shown by the outstanding results.

“Many learners took advantage of less traffic on the roads to get out there and clock up more miles behind the wheel during the pandemic, plus increased time at home was the ideal opportunity to hit the books and study for the theory test.”

However, Wilson points out that after all their hard work there is now another challenge: “Newly qualified drivers often have trouble finding competitively priced insurance because they represent a higher insurance risk than seasoned motorists, and this is particularly true if the new driver also happens to be a young driver.

“That’s why we recommend newly qualified drivers use Quotezone.co.uk’s car insurance comparison service to shop around for better deals, by comparing quotes from a wide range of different providers side-by-side these motorists stand a better chance of finding a cheaper quote.

“Of course, there are additional steps newly qualified drivers can take to increase their odds of finding cheaper insurance too. For instance, it might be worth considering telematics insurance, which is often cheaper than a standard car insurance policy and opting for a car with a smaller engine and parking the vehicle in a safer location like a driveway or garage can also bring premiums down.”

Quotezone.co.uk compares quotes from over 110 UK car insurance providers, helping over 3 million users find a more competitive deal each year on everything from learner driver insurance to telematics insurance to cover for young drivers.

Scotland is learner driver centre for pensioners!

One third of all learner drivers are over 30 years of age

Scotland is a silver-haired centre for learner drivers, according to new figures from a leading car insurance comparison website.

Quotezone.co.uk’s data reveals over 3% of all Scottish learner drivers would qualify for a pension, which is double the rate for most other UK regions barring the North East, which topped the stats with 3.8% of its learners aged 66 or over.

And Scotland’s learner drivers are in no hurry to pass their test, with over three-quarters having received their provisional licences more than five years ago and 34% for over 10 years.

The general picture of learners being young still rings true, with 60% of learner drivers across the country being aged between 16 and 25. It is common to find learners in their 40s – 8.7% of all learners – and even their 50s – 3.8%.

The advancing years have also not held back more than 100 septuagenarians and octogenarians who retain an interest in passing their driving tests.

Quotezone.co.uk says demand for its learner premiums has rocketed 42% from 2019 to 2020.

The data was sourced from Quotezone.co.uk’s 2020 records covering a sample of 50,000 provisional drivers across the UK, with 15,000 over 30 years of age. North East learners surveyed numbered 1,790 drivers and 600 were over 30.

Greg Wilson, Quotezone.co.uk’s Founder, comments: “School leavers or young professionals often come to mind as the typical learner driver. Our findings tell a more multifaceted story though, showing many people hold back on getting their full driving licence until they’re well into their 20s and beyond.

“Scotland is not unusual in having a notable number of more mature drivers looking to pass their test, but it stands out for budding motorists being of pension age.   

“There’s going to be lots of reasons why people hold off on learning to drive. Cost could be one answer, with the price of lessons and buying a car putting some provisional drivers off. But when it comes to insurance you shouldn’t have to pay over the odds even if you are a learner. I would say dust off your provisional licence and shop around for the best deal by using a comparison website to compare quotes. 

“We’ve seen a big rise in learners looking into policies in 2020. Perhaps safety concerns using public transport have played a part in this surge, with many services reduced, and commuters are returning to the idea of having a car. 

“With lessons and tests returning and an economic bounce back looking promising, we expect more provisional licence holders to actively pursue their full licence this year.”  

Quotezone.co.uk can help learner drivers find a better deal on their provisional insurance, and for anyone wanting to take a few lessons with a friend or family member there’s also the option of temporary learner insurance.

Lockdown easing triggers boom in new drivers learning with school of mum and dad

RAC Insurance records highest-ever demand for flexible policies covering learner drivers


The gradual easing of the coronavirus lockdown has seen more new drivers than ever opting to learn with another family member, analysis of RAC Learner Driver Insurance data suggests.

With driving instructors unable to start giving tuition again until 4 July as a result of the pandemic, figures show just how eager new drivers were to get behind the wheel with RAC Insurance recording its highest-ever weekly demand for learner driver insurance during the first week of June – up on the same week last year marginally, and a significant 37% up on 2018.

And despite driving schools now back in operation the desire to take lessons from a family member shows no signs of abating, perhaps in part fuelled by a long backlog of students wanting to learn to drive with an instructor.

The average number of learner driver policies bought each week through June and the first half of this month is up 27.5% on pre-lockdown levels and is also higher than the RAC would expect to see at this time of year, up 6% on the same period in 2019.

The figures also reveal provisional drivers are now opting for longer policies of 36 days, up from an average of 30 days over the same period last year* – suggesting those starting out on their driving careers are keen to make up for time lost earlier in the lockdown when they were unable to learn to drive.

Separate RAC research conducted earlier in the lockdown showed that a third of drivers aged 17 to 34 felt having access to a car was more important than ever during the pandemic. The ongoing message from national and local governments for people to avoid public transport up until now could also have had the effect of accelerating new drivers’ interest in having lessons, and passing their test to give them the freedom they need.

RAC Insurance spokesperson Simon Williams said: “As lockdown began to be eased but learning to drive with an instructor still wasn’t possible, we saw demand for our learner driver insurance grow as this was the only way new drivers could continue to get experience on the roads at the start of their driving careers. The fact we have seen demand for policies hit an all-time high is remarkable, given just what an abnormal year 2020 has been so far.

“But interestingly, while driving schools have been allowed to reopen since 4 July, our figures show there’s still strong demand for lessons from mum and dad, perhaps driven by fears over sharing a vehicle with somebody else – or perhaps because professional instructors are being inundated with requests for lessons and are struggling to cope with demand.

“The impact of the coronavirus on people’s travel habits has thrown into sharp focus the essential role the car plays in allowing us to get about, whether that is to do a weekly shop at a local supermarket or travel further afield to see family and friends. We know dependency on the car was already increasing before the pandemic,** and for young people having access to a car can literally be a lifeline to getting out and about, whether that’s for work or pleasure.

“So it’s understandable that so many new drivers are desperate to build their experience and confidence sat next to a family member they can trust, and then get on with taking their test. The backlog of driving tests built up since the country went into lockdown might mean they are having to wait longer than they’d like for one, but while frustrating provisional drivers can use this time to get in some extra experience on the roads.

“Learner driver insurance can offer a convenient, good value and flexible means of giving those starting on their driving careers peace of mind when behind the wheel.”

The RAC has published a guide on teaching a learner driver which can be found here.

What is learner driver insurance?

Traditionally, provisional drivers were added to their parents or other family members’ policies so they could practise their driving after a few lessons with an instructor, but now a provisional driver can take out their own, short-term policy to cover any period from a few hours to several months.

This type of insurance is ideal for getting more experience under the belt before taking the test and can be more cost-effective than being a named driver on another driver’s policy. It also doesn’t affect the main driver’s no-claims discounts on their own policy. Go online to find out more about RAC Learner Driver Insurance.