Cost of learning to drive
With learning to drive identified to be the top coming-of-age moment for UK teenagers by National Citizen Service (NCS), Marmalade – the leading provider of cars and insurance for young drivers – has conducted research which highlights, despite reports claiming young people are being priced off the road, learning to drive is achievable and affordable if parents start saving early.
Marmalade has revealed the potential financial investment to take a young person from novice to fully-qualified is £1,625, which amounts to £95 per annum (around £8 per month) from when a child is born until they reach the legal driving age of 17 years-old.
Crispin Moger, CEO for Marmalade commented, ‘There is a huge pressure on parents to save funds for their children’s future, for example university fees, weddings and so on. Very rarely do we see parents considering the full cost of learning to drive until about two to three years before the milestone hits, which then becomes a massive financial blow.’
Last year it was reported that many teenagers are not learning to drive with new figures showing that the number has fallen 28% in a decade. Experts put the decline down to the rising cost of university, as the trend towards fewer sixth formers learning to drive coincides with tuition fees rising to £9,000 a year.
Crispin concluded, ‘Learning to drive is of course going to cost money, so our advice to parents is be realistic and start saving as early on as possible to prevent any financial burden. If prepared, learning to drive can be cheaper than a monthly takeaway or round of drinks.’
