Driving costs putting off a fifth of young people
New research has found that nearly 20% of young people do not plan to learn to drive because they can’t afford driving costs.
According to analysis carried out by Confused.com it now costs an average of £924 to get on the road.
Driving lessons make up the bulk of expenses, with young learners spending an average of £777 on 18.5 hours of lessons before they take their driving test. Theory and practical tests add a further £124 on average, with more than half of learner drivers having to retake their practical test at least twice.
The costs do not stop there, though, with first-year motoring expenses as high as £7,700 for those driving some of the most popular first cars.
Milestone
Matt Crole-Rees, travel insurance expert at Confused.com, which has produced a cost of driving calculator, said: “Learning to drive has always been a major milestone, but for many young people the costs involved are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Between lessons, theory tests, practical tests and the expense of buying and insuring a first car, it’s easy to see how the total cost can quickly run into the thousands.
“Our research shows that many learners are already making sacrifices to afford getting on the road, with some even questioning whether they can afford to learn to drive at all. At the same time, lengthy waiting times and the need to retake tests can add further costs and delays to the process.
“And once you’ve got past the hurdle of getting your licence, there are other major expenses to consider, including buying a car, insurance, fuel and road tax.”
