See all Motoring NewsAccording to our research, the rising costs associated with learning to drive is a key factor in this decline, making driving less accessible for young people. 66% of 17–24-year-olds admit they are not learning as they don’t have the means to pay for the mandatory 12 driving lessons. 37% say insurance costs are too high for them to consider learning to drive and the cost of owning a vehicle was another deciding factor for 1 in 3 (34%) as they don’t have a vehicle to learn in. Even those that can afford to drive have said the list for the driving lessons is too long (15%) and is making lessons less accessible.
Learning to drive can not only be expensive but waiting lists for driving instructors can take weeks or even months with current backlogs. Thats why Carzone has partnered with Professional Driving Instructor Dane Tyghe to make quality free content available to learner drivers on our Learner Driver Hub. This content aims to help learner drivers who want to achieve their driving goals, while also making the roads safer.
It’s clear from the research that the high cost associated with the mandatory 12 driving lessons is also preventing many young people from beginning their driving journey. Carzone wants to help more young drivers get on the road, so we are giving away €15,000 worth of driving lessons with the Irish School of Motoring. Spin to win 12 Driving Lessons on www.carzone.ie/spinandwin.
Buying a Car
The survey revealed a large percentage (72%) of 17-24 learner drivers surveyed don’t own a car. Whilst 40% of those are currently insured on a parent or siblings’ vehicle, 35% who don’t own a car are planning to purchase a vehicle in the next 12 months and 32% said they plan to purchase a vehicle in the next 3 months. Unsurprisingly budgets are tight for most learner drivers, 37% say they plan to spend between €2,000 - €5,000 and 22% have less than €2,000 to spend and just 17% say they have a larger budget of €5,000 - €7,000. When it comes to financing, the majority (64%) are hoping to use their savings to pay for their first car, 1 in 5 will apply for a bank or credit union loan and 3% will finance through a car dealership. In terms of researching this big purchase, half (51%) will turn to online marketplaces like Carzone and 17% will carry out their research on social media.
Manual or automatic
Despite the fact Ireland is moving towards an electric future, the majority (91%) of people surveyed who are learning to drive are still opting to learn in a manual vehicle. Over half (54%) of those who choose to learn in an automatic vehicle first tried on a manual before switching. 73% choose an automatic as they feel it’s easier to drive and 43% feel manual vehicles are becoming redundant as all new hybrid and electric cars are automatic. Learner drivers haven’t quite got electric in mind either when planning their purchase with 37% planning to buy diesel and 31% planning to buy petrol, just 7% of those surveyed planning to purchase Hybrid/Electric vehicles.
Commenting on the campaign, Dane Tyghe, Professional Driving Instructor said:
“I am delighted to partner with Carzone to help more learner drivers get on the road by providing them with advice and tips they may need to pass their driving test. Learning to drive can be hugely challenging for people and I hope that this campaign will be able to make a difference for learner drivers.”
Commenting on the campaign, Karl Connolly, Audience Manager Carzone said:
“The results of our research have revealed just how prominent the financial issue is for learner drivers, with such a large percentage of those surveyed not being able to afford driving lessons.
That’s why we launched the Carzone Learner Driver campaign, to provide learner drivers with a hub of information to help them with their driving journey. Carzone is currently giving away €15,000 worth of driving lessons so make sure to check out our website for all the information as well as the chance to explore our wide variety of affordable new and used cars for when learner drivers are ready for the road.”