Posted May 4, 200817 yr The cost of driving lessons will rocket under a plan to cut the death toll of young drivers - but critics fear it might push youngsters into driving illegally. The scheme to provide more rigorous training and testing for learners and instructors could see the cost of a typical course of lessons rise from £900 to £1,500. Ministers are set to propose a longer tuition period, during which learners will be tested on certain skills, such as motorway and night driving, before taking the main driving test. Driving Instructors' Association chief Eddie Barnaville warns that the average fee for a one-hour lesson will rise from £22 to £32, adding: "If instructors are obliged to attain higher qualifications, they will almost certainly pass those costs on to the customer." Andrew Howard, AA head of road safety, said: "If learning to drive becomes too difficult and too expensive, people will turn away and may take to the road without any proper training or qualification." Every week in Britain 14 young drivers and their passengers are killed. Men aged 17 to 20 are almost ten times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than men aged 40 to 59. Source: Mail on Sunday Will this make any impact?
May 4, 200817 yr It is about time that this measure was introduced It is absolutely illogical that a 17 year old can pass a test then take his dads Ferrari out on a motorway at high speed when he has no experience of going over 30 mph barely, I don't think these measures go far enough there should be 1) A maximum cc of 1200cc for any driver under the age of 21 2) Skid pan training and wet weather training bought in as part of the test 3) A follow up test after 2 years of passing first test to ensure standards still met So what if the cost is higher and kids need more lessons, so be it, peoples lives and limbs should not come with a price tag, if a young driver can afford a car they can bloody well afford to go through the training however much it costs, automatic prison sentences should be introduced for anyone who drives illegally Edited May 4, 200817 yr by Tim Barnes
May 5, 200817 yr I plan to learn to drive this summer, so I hope this doesn't come to affect me - because it's damn unfair I should have to pay for everyone else's recklessness. I know I'm competent enough to be a good driver, and chances are I'd be a safer driver than someone who's been driving for 40 years and picked up all sorts of bad habits and cockyness. But, I agree with Tyler, the test needs to be so much more rigorous. When people learn to drive they do the exact opposite - they learn to pass a 1 hr test, not learn to drive for life.
May 5, 200817 yr They should make the test more complex, not more expensive. Who is going to pay the instructors to go out at night and do night conditions driving ? who is going to pay the instructors for the increased insurance of insuring the car for learners to drive on motorways ? who is going to pay the examiner for the extended test and the hiring of extra examiners to cope with the work ? the tooth fairy ? :unsure: of course more complex tests would result in an increase in prices and so it should
May 5, 200817 yr Loads of people drive without even ever taken lessons let alone the driving test - so I doubt making it more expensive will have any effect on them. And what about those disqualified drivers who shouldn't even be on the road and yet we read about them time and time again. If they want to make it much more expensive for people to be able to drive legally - why can't the government just have the balls to say "It's nothing to do with safety really - we just want more money" - sorry for shouting but this is what it is all about. Any scheme that involves more money only has a direct effect on decent, law-abiding people. Norma
May 5, 200817 yr Thank the lord above that i've already passed Edited May 5, 200817 yr by PhillyWilly
May 5, 200817 yr Who is going to pay the instructors to go out at night and do night conditions driving ? who is going to pay the instructors for the increased insurance of insuring the car for learners to drive on motorways ? who is going to pay the examiner for the extended test and the hiring of extra examiners to cope with the work ? the tooth fairy ? :unsure: of course more complex tests would result in an increase in prices and so it should There is a huge difference in raising prices just to better the test, and to just raise the prices so it is harder for people to pay for the legal process of learning how to drive.
May 6, 200817 yr There is a huge difference in raising prices just to better the test, and to just raise the prices so it is harder for people to pay for the legal process of learning how to drive. it makes no difference, soon only the rich will be able to drive anyway... i broadly agree than more safety measures have to be put in place, theres too many fatalities amongst new young drivers to ignore the problem. craigs idea of limiting the cc is a good one and is already in place for bikers.
May 6, 200817 yr You can still get a tonne out of a 1.2 especially if its one of Renaults 1.2 Turbos :kink:
May 6, 200817 yr It is about time that this measure was introduced It is absolutely illogical that a 17 year old can pass a test then take his dads Ferrari out on a motorway at high speed when he has no experience of going over 30 mph barely, I don't think these measures go far enough there should be 1) A maximum cc of 1200cc for any driver under the age of 21 2) Skid pan training and wet weather training bought in as part of the test 3) A follow up test after 2 years of passing first test to ensure standards still met So what if the cost is higher and kids need more lessons, so be it, peoples lives and limbs should not come with a price tag, if a young driver can afford a car they can bloody well afford to go through the training however much it costs, automatic prison sentences should be introduced for anyone who drives illegally Thats rubbish! New drivers can't get insurance for a sports car, not even an old banger that only cost £200, if they won't insure you for that you ain't going to get insured for a Ferrari!! In lessons you have to do dual carrageways so the top speed is 70! So not that different from a motorway is it and not quite your 30! In reply to number 3, we actually are not the ones that need the follow up test (ask any instructor!) its actually you old people! I bet all you did when you passed your test was to actually point out a car so you know what one is! Does that go to anyone over 21 too? Cos people over 21 don't have accidents either do they?... This has nothing to do with accidents! Its down to congestion and yet MORE MONEY!
May 6, 200817 yr I dont know if this is going to be successful, alot of the time it doesnt matter about the teaching and learning. After passing their test, there are brain dead fools that think its alright to risk their own lives and many others on the road by driving like a fool. However I think its a good idea people have lessons at night, that way they get to experience different driving conditions and how to handle them properly. The same goes for the Motorway, it is so dangerous and slip-ups cant be deadly. Its got to be better for the learners to experience them before they pass, and learn about how to use them properly.
May 6, 200817 yr In reply to number 3, we actually are not the ones that need the follow up test (ask any instructor!) its actually you old people! I bet all you did when you passed your test was to actually point out a car so you know what one is! I agree with a bit of that lol. Surely if the younger newly passed drivers should have a follow up test everyone else should. Even if you have been driving 30 years you may not meet the standards that should be met. People often get into silly habits etc
May 7, 200817 yr it makes no difference, soon only the rich will be able to drive anyway... Well, I stick by what I said. Where I live you take a test that is basic common sense at the age of 15, and then once you turn 16 you take the driving test. You do a parallel park, three point park, and a normal turn and park. After that you drive a block and as long as you use your blinker and stop at the stop light, you pass. Yes, I'm sure that is all you need to know. People need to learn how to drive in defensive situations, that's when most accidents happen. I drive by the motto that everyone is drunk off their ass besides me. ^_^
May 7, 200817 yr I agree with a bit of that lol. Surely if the younger newly passed drivers should have a follow up test everyone else should. Even if you have been driving 30 years you may not meet the standards that should be met. People often get into silly habits etc The skills are still there though The more experienced you get the more you know your limits and what is your capabilities, I know my limits and what I can do behind the wheel of a car so even though I drive fast I have never had an accident except when I hit a deer which was beyond my control, that is why I have protected no claims bonus etc etc because I know where my limits are and you can only get that with EXPERIENCE A young driver with little experience does not know where the limits are and that is why the majority of accidents and fatalities on the road are young lads with little experience showing off to their mates with their rave music blaring out and having a shunt because they didnt have the experience to handle the speed they were doing I have had tyres blow out on me, I have aquaplaned in the wet, I have had a track rod end go on me, I have had a brake failure on a car, I have gone into slides on black ice but the reason why they didn't end in accidents was because I had the car control to get out of those situations, a young lad driving for a few months doesn't Sorry if I sound arrogant about my driving capabilities I am not trying to be I am emphasising the point that even if silly habits creep in an experienced driver has the experience to get out of risky situations when a young lad showing off to his mates doesn't
May 7, 200817 yr oh i better hurry up n start doing mine again theres this crash course i wanna do for 180 pounds for 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!
May 7, 200817 yr Blinker? :huh: is that like indicator? It's the switch that signals whether you are turning left or right...
May 11, 200817 yr This is such a bad idea, seriously. Just seems to be like a money maing scheme, rather than cutting the number of young drivers' deaths. They're just going to make driving a middle-class luxury, it's gonna be too expensive for 17+ year olds to drive. Now this might be their aim, but what's the point? If they wanted less young drivers on the road then surely they'd just raise the age limit for driving instead of making everyone splash out an extra £600 to pass their test? Silly people. Is just an excuse to make more money.
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