New report reveals that the cost of getting on the road jumped by 19% in 2024
It costs new drivers an average of £7,100 to get on the road in 2024
A new report from Go.Compare Car Insurance has revealed that the cost of getting on the road in 2024, including the cost of a first car, has increased by 19%, from £5,947.40 in 2023, to £7,100 in 2024.
The report is compiled annually by the comparison site and looks at the overall costs associated with getting on the road, including the total cost of driving lessons, the price of tax and insurance, the cost of a first car, alongside a number of other factors. This year, the report has found that the total cost of getting on the road has jumped by 19% since this time last year.
In 2023, the report revealed that the cost had dropped below £6,000 for the first time in four years, but this year’s data has shown that this drop was short-lived. Not only this, but the 2024 increase means that the costs are now higher than they’ve been since the report started in 2019, when it was an estimated £6,846.
The report has shown that a number of the costs associated with getting on the road have increased in the past 12 months, including the amount that young drivers are spending on their first cars, rising 15% from £2780 to £3100. Added to this, the average amount that 17- to 21-year-olds pay for their car insurance has gone from £1,446 to £1,776 – up by 23%.
The costs of getting on the road in 2024 are as follows:
|
Requirement |
2023 cost |
2024 Cost |
|
Average spent buying first car |
£2,780 1 |
£3,000 2 |
|
First year insurance premium |
£1,446 3 |
£1,776 4 |
|
Driving lessons to successful test (44 lessons) |
£1434.40 5 |
£2,025.00 6 |
|
First year Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) |
£148 7 |
£180 8 |
|
Driving tests (theory and practical- if taken on a weekday)9 |
£85 |
£85 |
|
Provisional driving license (if applied online)10 |
£34 |
£34 |
|
Total cost of getting on the road |
£5,947.40 |
£7,100.00 |
The report surveyed 1,000 parents of young drivers, as well as 1,000 new drivers, aged between 17-25.
The research asked parents of new drivers about their biggest concerns when it comes to their child taking to the road and found that the high cost of insurance is still a top concern, with more than half of parents (55%) saying that the cost insurance was their biggest concern, followed by concerns around safety on the road (38%) and the cost of driving lessons (30%).11
Both parents and young drivers found the cost of driving lessons surprising, with 37% of those who took part in the survey saying that these costs were higher than expected, and a further 34% saying the cost of car insurance was also far greater than expected.
The same research also found that parents are still helping out financially when it comes to getting their kids driving – with over a third of parents (36%) saying they’d bought their child’s first car, and a further 13% of parents saying that they pay for all of the running costs associated with their child’s car.
Commenting on this latest report, Tom Banks, car spokesperson for Go.Compare said, “No one will be happy to see the increase in these costs - after a brief hiatus in 2023 where it seemed like they were coming down, costs have jumped by 19% in the past year, making the average cost of getting on the road a significant figure at over £7,000. So, it’s no surprise that 14% of those who took part in the research said that the cost-of-living crisis has been a barrier to getting on the road.
“The report also shows that the costs associated with getting road-ready have gone up across the board, including driving lessons, how much people are spending on their first car, and the cost of car insurance.
“Although car insurance will almost always be steeper for younger and newer drivers, as opposed to more experienced motorists, this recent price increase means it’s more important than ever to shop around. To make sure you’re getting the absolute best deal possible for the cover you need, we always suggest taking the time to compare your options online.
You can find the full Go.Compare report, “The cost of getting on the road 2024”, here.
Contact Information
Rubie Barker
Notes to editors
Notes to the editor
1Based on fully comprehensive policies bought from Go.Compare between January 2023 and August 2023, the average value of a car for customers between 17-21 years old with a UK full licence less than 1 year old is £2,780.
2Median cost of vehicle value for customers aged between 17 and 21, with UK full licence less than 1 year old, for comprehensive policies with annual payment type. Date period between 1st Jan 2024 and 31st May 2024.
3Based on fully comprehensive policies bought from Go.Compare between January 2023 and August 2023, the average car insurance premium for customers between 17-21 years old with a UK full licence less than 1 year old is £1,466.
4Median cost of vehicle value for customers aged between 17 and 21, with UK full licence less than 1 year old, for comprehensive policies with annual payment type. Date period between 1st Jan 2024 and 31st May 2024.
5The average cost of driving lessons per hour is £32.60. The average learner requires around 44 hours of lessons before being test-ready. £32.60x44=£1434.40. Based on data from Maru/Blue conducted between 22nd to 25th August 2023 of 1,006 Great British parents of children aged 17-25 either learning or able to drive. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 3.1%.
6According to the RAC, the average cost of driving lessons per hour is £45 and according to the Gov.uk website, the average learner requires around 45 hours of lessons before being test-ready. £45x45=£2,2025.
7The average road tax for the top 5 cheapest vehicles to insure for young drivers is £148. The 5 cheapest vehicles to insure for young drivers were taken from our report here and based on average car insurance prices for policies paid annually bought through Go.Compare between 1 Jan 2023 and 31 Mar 2023
8The average road tax for the top 5 cheapest vehicles to insure for young drivers is £180. The 5 cheapest vehicles to insure for young drivers were taken from our report here and based on average car insurance prices for policies paid annually bought by drivers aged 17-24 through Go.Compare between 1 Jan 2024and 31 Mar 2024.
9Driving test costs taken from https://www.gov.uk/driving-test-cost
10Driving licence fees from https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-fees
11These findings are from a study released by Sago between September 3rd-12th, 2024, among a random selection of 2,000 of GB adults ages 17+ who are online panellists of Sago’s Community. Half the sample (n=1000) were parents of 17–25-year-olds, and half (n=1000) were 17-25-year-old drivers.
For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals when compared to the data tables are due to rounding. Excerpts from this release of findings should be properly attributed, with interpretation subject to clarification or correction.
Sago is the global research and data partner that connects human answers to business questions. Combining a legacy of impact, global reach, and innovative spirit, Sago enables clients to solve business problems through extensive audience access and an adaptive range of qualitative and quantitative solutions.
For further information please contact:
Lynsey Walden on lynsey.walden@Gocompare.com, or Kath Chadwick on Kathryn.chadwick@Gocompare.com.
Keep up-to-date with Go.Compare on Twitter; @Go.Compare
About Go.Compare
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