Papa Don't Teach! Half of Learner Drivers Take Free Lessons With a Parent... But at an Emotional Cost

LONDON, December 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0koQDyHSmQ

New research by car buying and selling website Carfused.com shows that the average cost of an aspiring driver to get onto Britain's roads has now soared up to £774*. The average motorist will take 22 lessons before they pass their test - with the cost of each lesson averaging £25.50.

To save the pennies, almost half of learner drivers (49%) opt to take free lessons with a parent. Yet, the combination of an inexperienced driver and an over-bearing parent can be an interesting mix resulting in high stress levels and potentially dangerous consequences.

One in seven (15%) learners recall being yelled at repeatedly and one in 20 (5%) say they almost had an accident. It also leads to one in 10 (10%) parents grabbing the wheel during lessons.

To test out whether the emotional cost outweighs the monetary expense, Carfused.com monitored the stress levels of a father and daughter as they set out on driving practice. Georgia (17) and her father Kenneth took the road in a vehicle with special cameras installed to film the whole process - so no angry look went unseen!

Indeed, it's not just the emotional stress that learners are sharing with their parents with nearly a quarter of drivers (23%) saying their first driving lessons were bought for them as a gift by their parents. A lucky one in five (20%) say their parents funded every single lesson they took with an instructor. With the cost of learning to drive so high, it's no wonder that parents are stepping in to help.

With Christmas coming up, many parents might be thinking about buying a car for their newly-passed children. According to the research about the expense of youngsters getting onto the road, of the one in 20 who have been bought a new car for Christmas, 40% said their parents were kind enough to dig deep whilst the grandparents of one in 13 lent a hand.

Cost breakdown of learning to drive:* 

   
    Item                                                    Cost

    Purchase of Provisional Driving Licence                 GBP43.00

    22 driving lessons costing, on average, GBP25.50*       GBP561.00

    Two theory tests at cost of GBP23 each                  GBP46.00

    Two practical tests at cost of GBP62 each               GBP124.00

    Total cost                                              GBP774.00

Deborah Weitzmann
Account Executive
t: +44(0)207-637-0656
http://www.the10group.com  @The10Group