Learning to drive

So you've just turned 17? Get driving lessons for your birthday? And Mum or Dad have added you to their car insurance and promised to take you driving at the weekend? It sounds to me like you're ready to start driving. Good luck! But it's not quite as simple as all that. The world of driving can be a scary place. Lots of cars all rushing in different directions and drivers who couldn't give two hoots if it's your first day on the road. It can be pretty nerve-wracking the first time you get out there, but it won't be long until it all becomes second nature. You won't think about the biting point anymore, and as for mirror, signal, manoeuvre, you'll never hear about it again. But when you do past your test, and it might seem a long way away at the moment, there are a few things to remember when you're out there on your own. The first year of driving is by far the most dangerous that you'll ever experience, and it's a sad fact that some drivers never make it beyond those first twelve months and instead end up as a statistic or the subject of a road safety TV advert. Thankfully the vast majority do make it past the first year without some horrible injury, but many do have smaller bumps and crashes. They might not damage you, but they'll certainly damage your motor insurance premium and make it difficult to find a cheap deal from a specialist young driver car insurance firm. Cheap car insurance is one of the most important things for a young driver, and it's best to do all you can to keep your no-claims discount. Car insurance companies have to charge us young 'uns more for the simple reason that we're involved in more accidents. Any crash that you have will wipe away any valuable no-claims discount you've started to build up, so when you start to drive, do all you can to avoid an accident. But it's not only accidents that wack up your car insurance premium. Any endorsements on your licence are a killer too. Speed cameras are out to catch you, and if you're not careful, catch you they will. If you get caught speeding and are given six points in your first two years of driving, then back you'll go to being a learner. You definitely don't want that, and you don't want your cheap car insurance premium to suffer for years after as a result. You might be thinking about going out and buying yourself a car ready for when you past your test; it'll certainly save the hassle of having to share with mum. But think carefully about what type of car you're going to buy. Whatever you buy is going to cost a lot, whether it's brand new, a few years old or a complete rust bucket. But it's not just the price of the car that will put a big dent in your bank balance. There's lots of extras like road tax, servicing, repairs and of course car insurance. Insurance could cost as much as the car itself, so it's best to search around for a price from a specialist young driver car insurance firm that can offer a cheap deal. Anyway, that could all be a few months down the line, so for now the important thing is to do your driving lessons and pass that test- it really isn't as bad as everyone says.