Cost of DRIVING LESSONS it completely varies which driving instructor you are going to use and which package you are going to choose. It starts from hundreds to thousands.
Learning to drive is an immensely expensive process, which makes it a fitting introduction to the world of motoring. That £34 fee for a provisional licence is the first step on a journey that will last a lifetime.
Driving lessons themselves constitute a significant part of the initial outlay. This investment will often cost a novice driver more than their first car, but will hopefully last longer - the hours spent in the company of a driving instructor are some of the most important, and will pave the way for many years of safe motoring.
Costs of the driving lessons
There’s no minimum or maximum cost of an hour of driving tuition, nor are there any rules on how many lessons you need to take. But with an average price of around £25 per hour, and with with a government-recommended figure of 40 lessons before you attempt the test, it’s safe to assume an overall cost of around £1,000 for tuition alone.
The number of lessons you take will depend on the speed with which you learn. This can be affected by a huge number of factors, ranging from your mental state to the prevailing traffic conditions. If you learn mainly during rush hour, you’re likely to need several more lessons than someone who learns during quieter times on the road.
Regardless of the cost of lessons, taking the test before you’re ready can be a big financial gamble - it often costs more to re-book the test, and take refresher lessons in the meantime, than to simply continue until you’re ready to pass.
How to make driving lessons cheaper
The most obvious way to bring the overall cost of your lessons down is to make use of bulk discounts offered by some instructors. By buying five or ten lessons at once, you can make savings of up to 20% depending on the generosity of your driving school. Of course, this often requires an up-front payment and will mean you’re stuck with the same instructor, but if you’re already comfortable with them then you could save hundreds of pounds.
The time and location of your lessons will also have a big effect on how long it takes you to get ready for the test. Learning in busy places, such as city centres, can set you back several hours, while the “school run” (around 9am and 4pm) can also impede your progress. Leaving big gaps between lessons can cause you to forget what you’ve already learned, causing you to waste time covering the same ground, and remember to do the “homework” set by your instructor - this will speed up your learning and consolidate your practical knowledge.
Taking lessons with friends and family
Another option is to reduce the number of professional lessons you take, replacing them with informal tuition from a friend or family member. You won’t have the added benefit of an experienced instructor with a dual-control car, but your only costs should be fuel and an insurance policy that covers you as a learner. The person in the passenger seat needs to be at least 21 years old (some insurance policies stipulate 25) and have held a licence for the car that you’re driving for at least three years.
These private lessons should be used in conjunction with formal tuition as a way to keep practising but without paying an hourly fee for use of the car. Make sure you have access to the car (and a willing friend or relative) before taking out the relevant insurance policy, as you’ll need to spend enough time having private lessons to make this investment worthwhile. And while you can save money by opting for a larger voluntary excess, remember that you might have to pay it if you have an accident.
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