Passing your driving test is a fantastic accomplishment and really gives you a sense of freedom that you are unlikely to have felt before.

Passing at your first attempt is likely to an even greater sense of pride. However, the danger that sometimes comes with first time passers is over confidence. A recent survey by Continental Tyres revealed that those who pass their test on the second attempt are statistically less likely to be stopped by police or have penalty points added to their licence than those who pass first time.

No matter how good you think you are, or how comfortably you passed your driving test; don’t assume that you are immune from accidents just because you passed your test at the first attempt. Indeed, MoneySupermarket claims that one in five people will be involved in a road accident within the first 12 months of passing their test.

Insurance impact

This is a statistic which does not go unnoticed by insurers, who will therefore charge higher premiums to motorists who do not have much driving experience under their belts on account of them being statistically more likely to be involved in an accident and make a claim.

Being under the age of 25 will compound your problems, because research suggests that drivers  between the ages of 17 and 25 are responsible for 1/3rd of the total number of fatal road collisions despite only representing a relatively small proportion of the driving population.

The teenagers within the group are seen as being even more risky by insurers, with teenage drivers being ten times more likely to be seriously injured in car accidents than those aged over 35.

Car insurance companies pay close attention to these statistics because they feel that they have a direct bearing on the likelihood of motorists being involved in accidents. The number of times it took you to pass your tests and the number of minors you accumulated during your successful examination however are two things which insurers are unconcerned about. This is proof if any were needed that you are not immune from accidents just because you passed your test at the first attempt.

Improve your driving abilities

Passing your driving test is seen by many experts as just the starting of your driving experience as you set off on the road by yourself for the first time.

However, you can speed up your experience accumulation by completing courses such as Pass Plus which are designed to help newly qualified drivers become more complete and therefore reduce the statistical likelihood of them being involved in accidents and making claims.

These qualifications will be recognised by car insurance companies, many of whom will offer car insurance premium discounts to those with a Pass Plus qualification to their name.

Insurance options

Car insurance has been a real obstacle for young and inexperienced drivers in recent years due to the rising cost of cover; leaving many unable to pay their annual premiums. Opting for monthly repayments is one option, but this also leaves the motorist susceptible to interest charges.

Going without cover is no longer an option thanks to the new Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) regulations which mean that every road legal vehicle on the road in the UK must be covered by an insurance policy at all times unless it has been declared off the road with a SORN notification sent to the DVLA.

However, one option which is becoming increasingly popular is pay as you go (telematics) car insurance. With this type of policy the insurer will fit a driver tracker to the policy holder’s vehicle to monitor the number of miles completed and in some cases the actual driving behaviour.  The motorist will then be expected to pay for the number of miles that they complete over the duration of the policy agreement.

This obviously gives newly qualified drivers a greater level of control over the amount of money that they pay for car insurance, with the policy having been introduced by insurers as a means of making it easier for newly qualified drivers to get on the road. 

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