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It’s a sad fact that 17-24 year olds are statisically more dangerous drivers.
So much so, that the Association of British Insurers are calling for an overhaul to the system.
The ABI want to introduce a number of restrictions, including alcohol limits and night time driving restrictions. However, perhaps the most interesting rule they want to introduce is a minimum learning period of at least a year.
The amount of time that a person takes to learn to drive can vary wildly - I personally passed my test within six months (with only 3 minors - just sayin’), but one of my other friends took five years to learn. It really is a case of how long is a piece of string… so is it right to place a mandatory time frame on these things?
I don’t know how my six months stacks up against the national average, but I certainly put myself under a lot of pressure to pass as quickly as I could in order to save money. Let’s face it, driving lessons can be expensive.
According to the AA, the average learner driver needs 47 hours of lessons to pass their test. At the national average of £24 an hour, that works out to be a whopping £1974. That’s before we even talk about insuring a car and buying petrol for private practice.
This extra cost might be annoying, but it will be worth it in the end if insurance premiums go down, right? Well, unfortunately that trade off can’t be guaranteed.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast , Malcolm Taring said he could not give a solid figure by how much premiums would fall, however he did say that these actions would need to be in place in order to avoid insurance costs rising further for young drivers.
Do you think these proposals are fair on young drivers? Will the enforced learning period make the roads safer? Tell us what you think in the comments section below!
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October 15, 2023
insurance