June 2008

During the last decade Britain’s roads have become safer with around a third fewer people being killed or seriously injured in road accidents.  But for young drivers the numbers have hardly moved and around one in five of all car deaths in Britain are newly qualified drivers and their passengers.

Learning to drive is a costly business with the cost of lessons over £20 and with 52 lessons being needed on average – the cost of learning to drive is more than £1,500.  Then newly qualified drivers face insurance premiums of around £1,200 for a male and around £800 for a female.

The government is focusing on how driving tuition can be made better – saving young people’s lives, but also bringing down the costs of driving.  Testing can also be improved – with a pass rate of 44% it means most learners need more than one test.

The government is putting forward a number of ideas including a new qualification in safe road use in schools.  The learning process before the test could focus more on vehicle control and safe driving in difficult conditions including at night.  And by better understanding what is required to become a responsible driver, a more accurate assessment can be made of when people are ready to pass their test.  Finally, new opportunities for extra training after the test could, in partnership with the insurance industry, help develop a new qualification which could reduce premiums.

The government is currently running a consultation on the issues involved.  If you want to offer your views you can join the consultation on line at http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Category.asp?cat=545. You need to give your views before 8th September.