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New drivers ‘under prepared’ to drive despite passing test

  Friday, 9 March 2012

Almost half of newly qualified motorists recently surveyed said they were under-prepared and nervous about taking to the highways for the first time since passing their driving test.

Almost 90 per cent of new drivers questioned revealed they took less than the recommended 40 hours of driving lessons before taking their test, according to the study by car insurance company ingenie and the RoadSafe organisation.

Self-assurance is not something that young male drivers lack and this is backed up by this latest study which shows male drivers aged 17-25 exude confidence after passing their test.

Despite this confidence young male drivers are more than twice as likely to have a prang in their first month at the wheel in comparison to female drivers of the same age bracket.

This poll of 1,000 new UK motorists found that over a third (35 per cent) of drivers admitted to having an accident within their first 12 months on the road. Young motorists also admitted to changing their driving style depending on their passengers, whether it’s friends or parents.

Richard King, Ingenie chief executive, said: “It’s clear from our research findings that many young drivers speed through their theory and practical tests and get straight out on to the road without the essential skills necessary to give them confidence to drive alone.”

The threat of car accidents for newly qualified drivers make it all the more sensible to purchase cheaper second hand vehicles to get used to the demands of regular driving. Driving a car costing hundreds rather than thousands means that young drivers who do have an unfortunate incident can ask themselves “should I scrap my car?” or vehicle dismantling without losing a significant investment.

Owning a second hand car also gives young drivers the freedom to repair prangs and damaged areas with significantly cheaper used car parts that are tested and guaranteed to last for considerable period of time. More importantly they are much more cost-effective than fitting a brand new car part in a second hand run-around. 

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