Unaffordable prices for car insurance is 'forcing drivers off the road'

Police figures have revealed that insurance breaches are becoming the largest motoring offence group in Northern Ireland with a staggering 7,179 recorded last year.

And young drivers here are thought to be particularly susceptible as they face increasingly unaffordable insurance prices.

The situation prompted DUP MP for Upper Bann Carla Lockhart to call on the government to provide additional support for younger drivers.

One of the main factors in the rise in police figures is believed to be the rapidly increasing costs for motorists to insure vehicles, and not just for young drivers.

Having secured a debate in Westminster Ms Lockhart said: “Young motorists are being offered unaffordable prices for car insurance, with premiums rocketing in the last year.

"The average cost of insurance for 17-20-year-olds has risen by more than £1,000 from the same time last year. That is forcing young people off the road.

“It is incumbent on the government to explore all means of support, and to also monitor the fairness of industry practices within the insurance sector.

"I am using this debate to highlight the concerns of drivers especially young drivers, and how being unable to drive is impacting on life experience and employment. I will be urging the government to mandate the FCA to step in, whilst also exploring the potential impact of measures such as Graduated Driving Licences could help reduce the cost of insurance.

“This is an important debate and one which I know will resonate with young people. I trust the government will listen and do all it can to help young drivers to get onto the road safely.”

Despite the rocketing premiums, one of Northern Ireland’s largest driving schools hasn’t seen a drop in young people wanting lessons although highlighted that the rising insurance prices were making it difficult for them to get on the road.

Peter Carmichael, managing director of NI Driving School, explained: “This is definitely something young drivers are concerned about. It’s simply pricing them off the road. The problem we have is that Northern Ireland has some of the highest insurance postcodes in Europe and it’s getting beyond a joke really.

"It is extremely expensive. We’ve had people quoted £3,200 on a car that’s only worth £1,000. And young people aren’t getting anymore for their money, in fact they’re getting less cover with everything as an added extra.

"We haven’t seen a reduction in the number of young drivers learning to drive but we have seen more finding it difficult to get on the road once they have passed. Most are very much relying on their parents to help out. This also has a massive knock-on effect on other industries. If young people can't get insured and on the road, then they can’t get the jobs and go on to do the career they want to do.”

Also hitting out at the increase in insurance premiums for all drivers, including driving instructors, Peter continued: “It’s not just young drivers that are affected, it’s everyone including us. We are doing our best to hold off and not increase the price of lessons but at some point we will have to look at that, if it continues.”

Agreeing, Gavin Sinclair of Fleetmentor in Belfast, who has been a driving instructor for over nine years, believes no matter the cost drivers want to get on the road, with some motorists willing to take risks.

He added: “High insurance costs are not stopping the young people from learning to driving. I know most driving instructors are booked up for weeks, even months. However what is happening, young people are getting their licence but then parents are stepping in.

"Some people, and it’s not just young people, are also willing to take risks, driving without insurance or insurance fronting falsely claiming they are not the main driver. In many cases the fine of £1,000 is cheaper than paying £3,000 for insurance.”

In a recent survey by Northern Ireland’s largest price comparison site CompareNI.com a staggering 82% of people said their car insurance was more expensive this year with a quarter of those surveyed admitting the cost of insurance had made them reconsider driving altogether.

In response, Ian Wilson, managing director of CompareNI.com, stated: “The realities of learning to drive have been a problem since the pandemic, with test delays and lesson back-logs and now the cost-of-living crisis making it unaffordable.

“More regulation on the cost of learning to drive is definitely needed, our latest research estimates the costs are in excess of £3,000 - an unrealistic sum for most who are trying to learn, and that doesn’t include the cost of the car itself.

“Even car insurance is rocketing, throughout 2023, young drivers across the UK have seen costs surge by more than £120 from £1139 to £1260 on average.

“Ages 18-24 are likely to have the most expensive premiums given their lack of experience and therefore lack of information for insurance providers to base their analysis on – that’s where a telematics or black box device can help, gathering data on driving skills right from the get-go.

“There are lots of ways to save even for this high-risk group so it’s important to shop around, pay annually if possible, reduce mileage, park somewhere safe such as a private driveway or add a second more experienced driver to the policy. Just make sure the main driver is the person who actually drives the most miles.

“For a young driver, passing their test and taking to the road for the first time is a rite of passage and it would be worrying if learners started to struggle to make driving a reality due to cost.”