Passing your driving test is a rite of passage for almost every teenager in the UK; considering the freedom and independence driving offers, it’s no surprise that the first thing many teenagers do after their 17th birthday is begin learning to drive.
Of course, the majority of 17 year olds are in no position to pay for driving lessons and tests let alone paying for a car, car tax, petrol and insurance. All of this means that it’s often the parents end up forking out a small fortune to get their kids on the roads.
If your children are learning to drive or will be in the near future then you need to know how much it’s all going to cost. So, how much are we actually looking here?
Provisional Licence
Every individual hoping to learn to drive will require a provisional licence with, upon passing both elements of the test, will be converted to a full licence without charge.
Provisional Licence Cost: £50
Driving Lessons
- The average cost of a driving lesson is £25 but can range from £20 to £30 depending on the individual instructor and where you are in the country.
- On average, a learner will need around 46 hours of lessons and 22 hours of private practice in order to pass their driving test.
REMEMBER: this is the average number of hours according to the DSA but the length of time is hugely dependent on the individual learning to drive.
Average Cost Of Private Lessons: £1150
Driving Tests
The test comes in two parts: the theory test and the practical driving test.
Again, the number of driving tests required will be hugely dependent on the individual driver. A driver that passes both tests first time will, of course, have much lower costs than a driver that requires multiple attempts.
Theory test: £31
Prices of the practical driving test:
Weekday cost- £62
Weekday evenings, weekends and bank holiday cost- £75
The current pass rate in the UK is approximately 43% meaning that the majority of drivers will require 1 attempt at the theory test and 2 attempts at the practical test with most drivers choosing to take their test on weekdays.
Test Costs: £155
Remember that these costs don’t include the cost of buying a car, road tax, car insurance or petrol costs. If you’re thinking about buying your children their first car then be sure to do your research about the true cost of buying a first car on top of the cost of learning to drive.
So, how much does all of this add up to?
Total: £1,355
Always remember that this cost can vary significantly depending on the ability of the individual driver and tests have shown that learner drivers that spend more time on the roads privately are more likely to pass their tests in a shorter space of time.
Crash courses and intensive lessons can improve a driver’s chances at passing first time but there’s no substitute for experience and regular practice.
This article was written by Jennifer Griffiths who’s recently passed her driving test. She got insured on her parent’s car to practice driving privately. Jennifer recommends learner driver insurance from Insure Learner Driver.
