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By Sarah Modlock
The roads are dangerous enough when you're learning to drive but if you or someone you know is about to strap on the L-plates then it is time for a bit of 'mirror, signal manoeuvre' on the finances. Changes to the law may mean you need to spend more and train harder before you can get behind a wheel. Why does the system need changing? Although cars have become more sophisticated and roads busier than ever, the laws governing driving lessons have changed little since they were introduced in 1935. This month the Department of Transport unveiled a plan to reform the whole processes of learning and testing in a bid to reduce road deaths and serious injuries for young drivers whose casualty numbers have grown while those for older drivers have dropped over the last decade. Newly-qualified drivers and their passengers account for one in five of all car deaths in Britain. More than 14 young drivers and their passengers are killed every week and male drivers aged 17 to 20 are almost ten times more likely to be killed or seriously injured behind the wheel than men aged 40 to 59. One in three young drivers admits overtaking while unable to see what is coming, compared with one in ten older drivers, according to a survey commissioned by road safety charity, Brake. The changes we can expect The consultation (which runs until 8 September) aims to create new laws so that learners become safer drivers for life, by strengthening the current learning and testing procedures, and creating a culture of extended and advanced learning.
Drivers will only have re-sit the part they fail, unlike at present when failure means retaking the whole on-road test. Some elements of the Pass Plus scheme, under which newly qualified drivers take between five and ten extra lessons in return for cheaper insurance, will be incorporated in the training for all learners. The changes will increase the time it takes to qualify, meaning fewer 17-year-olds will gain licences. New rules for driving instructors Many learners do not realise how variable the quality of instruction can be. Fewer than 7% of the 36,000 instructors hold the top Grade 6 qualification and most are Grade 4, which is one above the unsatisfactory level that triggers a requirement for a further test. The new regime promises stricter standards for instructors, whose pass rate and special skills will be published on an official website with a star rating to help learners choose. But the Department for Transport has admitted that there will be a risk that unscrupulous instructors could delay signing the proposed 'test readiness certificate', in order to charge for extra lessons. And the Driving Instructors Association said that the star-rating system was "blatantly unfair" so it remains to be seen whether the proposals on this are tweaked. The cost of learning to drive Driving lessons have never been cheap but you can expect them to cost a lot more once the new regime is in place. At the moment, around two million people sit a driving test every year in the UK but because the pass rate is 44%, the average learner takes more than two tests before passing. Of the 750,000 people who qualify for a licence every year - three quarters of these are under the age of 25. This is not an age group known for its large disposable income. The Department for Transport says the average learner takes around 52 lessons costing approximately £21 - up to £28 in London, leaving new drivers with a bill of between £1,000 and £1,500. The average cost of a lesson is expected to rise to about £32 because instructors will face greater training costs, according to Eddie Barnaville of the Driving Instructors' Association. Current fees for the driving test (for a car) are £30 for the theory test (which includes the hazard perception test); £56.50 for the practical test (£67 if you want an evening or weekend). There is a lot of advice about saving money by block-booking lessons but I would advise learners to make sure they get on with the instructor first. Insurance costs DfT says a newly qualified male driver faces an insurance premium from £1,200; and a female driver of same age faces a premium from £800. Insurance is notoriously expensive for younger drivers but although the changes to lessons and test may cost more, insurance bills could come down because you have better skills. The insurance industry is understood to be willing to offer to reduce premiums by about 25% for drivers who have completed courses. Of course advanced driving courses are open to all drivers and may earn you a discount on your insurance, as well as making you better behind the wheel. Now you just have to worry about those coming the other way. Useful links: |
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