|
Anxious new drivers in the North West fear
bad weather, being alone and driving in the dark
BAD weather, being alone in
the car and driving in the dark top the list of the main worries experienced
by new drivers in the North West according to research by car insurance
specialist, Admiral MultiCar.
Admiral surveyed motorists in
the region about their experience while they were learning to drive and
after they 1st passed their driving test. It found the main motivation for
learning to drive is the need to be independent, according to 65% of
motorists asked. ˝ said the main reason they
learned was to be able to get to places at their own pace, while 38% said
they did it to be able to get to work.
Somewhat unsurprising is the
main emotion learner drivers in the North West experience during their
driving test; nervousness. More than half (54%) said that's how they felt
when they 1st took their test. However nearly 1 in 5 (18%) said that they
had felt confident on their driving test.
Admiral MultiCar spokesman,
Justin Beddows, commenting on the research said:-
"It's perfectly
natural to feel nervous when you 1st take your driving test. What is
surprising is the number who said the main emotion they felt was confidence.
I certainly didn't feel confident, and it's a memory that's stayed with me
for the last 25 years!"
Once they pass their test,
many people in the North West can't wait to hit the road by themselves and
do so the same day. 64% said they went out on their own the day they passed
their test. However 5% said they waited at least a month.
Admiral MultiCar found that
the 1st solo drive is full of worries for most drivers in the region. The
number 1 anxiety is driving in difficult weather conditions (29%). This is
followed by driving alone (27%) and driving in the dark (23%). Only 19% said
crashing was their biggest worry.
What were you most worried
about the 1st time you drove alone?
|
Place |
Fear |
Response |
|
1 |
Driving in
difficult weather conditions |
29% |
|
2 |
Driving alone |
27% |
|
3 |
Driving in the dark |
23% |
|
4 |
Breaking down on your own |
19% |
| Crashing |
|
6 |
Not knowing your way around |
15% |
|
7 |
Driving with
passengers in the car |
8% |
|
8 |
Ending up
somewhere you don't know |
7% |
|
9 |
Not
understanding road signs |
5% |
|
10 |
Not knowing how
to put fuel in the car |
4% |
Justin Beddows, continued:-
"Nothing quite prepares you for being on the road by yourself for the 1st
time and it's almost like you have to learn to drive again without the
support of your instructor. Our own statistics show that people who
have passed their test and move from a provisional licence are
unfortunately, more likely to have an accident than a learner driver."
So do
motorists in the North West think they would pass their driving test if they
had to re-sit it today? The vast majority are confident in their abilities,
with more than three quarters (77%) drivers saying they would pass. Only 23%
said they don't think they would.
This
confidence maybe doesn't match reality however as only 41% of the motorists
surveyed said they passed 1st time. For 38% it took 2 attempts and for 13%
it took 3 attempts. |
