Tips for young drivers – what do you do now you've passed your test
You’ve spent so long with your driving instructor, he’ll probably be godfather to your first born. You’ve slogged your way through hours of tedious lessons with your dad arguing over your proximity to parked cars. And you’ve faced the trauma of your driving test with only your copy of the Highway Code and a box of Immodium to get you through it.
But you’ve passed! Now you’ve just got to wheedle the car keys out of your parents and you’re all set to hit the road. Or are you? There are a few things you need to think about first – like applying for your driving licence, getting cheap car insurance, whether you should get P plates and how the law affects new drivers. Luckily, MORE TH>N is on hand to tell you all you need to know.
How to get your full driving licence
Once you’ve got your pass certificate, you’ll need to send it, along with your provisional one, to the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) to get your full driving licence. Do it as soon as you can – if it slips your mind and two years pass by in a blur (as they tend to do when you’re at university), you’ll have to take both parts of the test again. D’oh!
Getting cheaper car insurance
Car insurance for young drivers is notoriously expensive. Based purely on statistics, young people are more likely to make claims because they tend to buy older, cheaper cars that break down a lot and are statistically more likely to have an accident – in the first year of driving, one person in five is involved in some kind of scrape.
But there is something young drivers can do to bring down the cost of their car insurance. Designed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), doing a Pass Plus course within 12 months of passing your test can cut your premiums by about 35%. With modules such as night and motorway driving, it aims to make you a safer, more confident driver. And you don’t even have to take a test at the end – result!
To P or not to P
OK, they may be about as cool as Cliff Richards’ Christmas jumpers, but that doesn’t mean P plates aren’t a good idea, particularly for your first trips in the car without your instructor. Wearing P plates is not compulsory (yet!), but they do mean other road users will give you more room should you make a mistake. This can really help take the pressure off.
The law and new drivers
According to the New Drivers Act, if you get six or more penalty points on your licence within two years of passing your test, the DVLA will revoke your licence meaning you’ll have to take both the theory and practical test again.
This is worth bearing in mind, when you can get three points for breaking the speed limit or committing offences like going through a red light.
To find out more, go to MORE TH>N Car Insurance
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