Earning To Drive
A new report has suggested that people who are hoping to learn to drive in the UK will need to be earning a good wage before they can do so.
Figures compiled by uSwitch have shown that the average Briton now spends in excess of 1,300 pounds in order to become a fully-licensed driver and many people will be looking for a cheap loan to cover these costs if their salary won’t cover them.
Most learner drivers are in their late teens or early 20s and before passing the relevant tests British women are faced with a bill of almost 1,600 pounds, which is several hundred pounds more than their male counterparts as they take on average 20 more lessons than men.
In addition to paying for a provisional driving licence, lessons and tests, anyone hoping to hit the road in the UK is also obliged to raise the cash for a decent insurance policy, which uSwitch has made clear means learning to drive is now a “pricey endeavour”.
Ashton Berkhauer, insurance expert at uSwitch, comments: “New drivers shouldn’t be under any illusions - learning to drive carries a hefty price tag.”
“With the average person sitting their practical test two to three times before passing, learners must also have a contingency fund to cover the cost of initial failure,” he added.
The report from the price comparison firm comes as the Driving Standard Authority (DSA) prepares to increase the fees it charges learner drivers to sit their theory and practical driving tests.
According to uSwitch, the extra levies, which come into force from April 1st, will bring the DSA an additional 14.4 million pounds on an annual basis, but it could see more people consider the best rate loans they can get as they aim to fulfill their driving ambitions.
Cumulative costs associated with becoming a fully-licensed driver in the UK might also have been part of the reason why fewer people attempted the process during 2006-7 than was the case during the previous 12 months.
The number of people trying to learn to drive fell by just over 44,000 around the country last year and it dipped most sharply among those aged between 17 and 21.
Furthermore, the financial burdens associated with learning to drive mean that when a person does pass all their tests and buys a car, it is even more crucial that they look around for a good insurance deal when the ‘L’ plates finally come off, uSwitch concludes.
The government’s guidelines on learning to drive make clear that only individuals registered with the DSA are legally allowed to charge for lessons and all vehicles on the road must be properly taxed and insured.
Meanwhile, research carried out in recent weeks by AA Personal Loans suggested that an increasing number of motorists are looking to buy vehicles that are compact and cheap to run. It was suggested that this was due to the rising costs of petrol, repairs or paying back money borrowed to buy it in the first place.
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