Congratulations, you’ve passed your test. You’ve saved up for the car, or maybe you’ve been given your mum or dad’s old runabout. It might not be the trendiest car out there, but you know it works and you know it’s been looked after and well maintained.
The next crucial step on your motoring journey is to get young driver car insurance, and whilst insurance might not be a topic you want to think about, it is a legal requirement.
However, if you’re looking for a way to reduce your insurance premium, undertaking an advanced driving course is a great way to save money while also practising road skills you might not have covered during your lessons as a learner driver. Find out about the most common courses here.
Why take an advanced driving course?
Advanced driving courses are primarily designed to help people drive more safely and improve confidence on the road. They usually take at least six hours to complete and can be taken any time after you’ve passed your practical driving test. They’re often recommended to new drivers wanting to gain confidence on the road or reduce their insurance premium.
Courses cover things like driving on motorways, all-weather driving and dealing with rush-hour traffic – all areas that can sometimes be overlooked when you’re taking lessons as a provisional licence holder. You’ll need to take a course with a driving instructor who has the appropriate qualification. Most of these extra qualifications cost between £100 and £200.
The courses don’t usually include an exam at the end; once your instructor is happy that you’ve reached a satisfactory level in all of the modules, you’ll receive a certificate.
Which advanced driving courses are available?
Pass Plus
Pass Plus is a practical driving course that takes around six hours to complete and is aimed at new drivers to improve their skills and increase their safety on the road.
Drivers can undertake this exam at any time, but it is often most beneficial during the first year after you pass your driving test as it expands on the knowledge you have just acquired.
You’ll need a Pass Plus-registered approved driving instructor (ADI) to teach you.
There is no formal test at the end of this course, but in order to get your certificate you will need to have reached the required standard set out in each of the modules.
A Pass Plus qualification will cost £150-200 for the entirety of the course.
IAM RoadSmart
IAM RoadSmart is a long established road safety charity and is accredited by the DVSA.
The charity offer a variety of training courses, but the two we’re focusing on are:
Advanced Driver Course
This course provides you with extra on-road knowledge and advanced driving skills and is designed to make you safer on the road. You will be paired with a ‘skilled advanced-driver observer’ who will give both written and verbal feedback across a series of drives.
The goal is to develop your enhanced observational and planning skills. The course lasts for approximately six to 12 sessions and students will sit an exam at the end.
Young Driver Assessment
The Young Driver Assessment course is aimed at drivers under the age of 26. This one hour session enhances the skills and knowledge you have gained whilst learning to drive.
Going out in your own car with a trainer, you’ll receive useful feedback and can choose to focus on skills you’d particularly like help with, like parking or motorway driving.
The course will cost you around £150 to begin with, and then a membership cost, depending on how you pay, will be £61-66 per year. You’ll be able to take as many rests as you need with a membership.
RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is a UK charity that provides advanced driver training to improve road safety and help reduce accidents.
There are around 60 groups in the UK that offer free DVSA approved training courses, of which you can have as many sessions as you like. However, in order to take the test, you will need to pay a membership fee.
The RoSPA test is based on the Highway Code. All examiners have a UK Police Advanced Driving qualification.
As a RoSPA member, you will be asked to retake the test every three years to maintain your advanced driving skills. The cost is included in your annual subscription fee.
The total cost of the entire RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders course is £550 plus VAT.
Do advanced driving courses lower insurance premiums?
They’re useful courses to go on as they improve your driving skills and confidence, and once you’ve completed one you might be able to qualify for a discount on your insurance.
However, be aware that not all insurance companies offer advanced driving discounts, and the size of the discount will vary between companies.
Is an advanced driving course worth it?
There are several benefits to advanced driving courses, such as making you a safer and smoother driver on the roads, but they can also help to reduce your insurance premium.
This is because it shows to providers that as a more careful and thoughtful driver, you are at a lower risk of being involved in an incident. However, there are no guarantees that your car insurance will be reduced heavily enough to offset the cost of the course.
That being said, if you’re struggling with specific aspects of learning to drive and you want to build up your experience in these areas, taking an advanced driving course is likely well worth the investment.
Learner driver insurance from Adrian Flux
No matter which advanced driving course you choose, or if you need learner driver insurance, we tailor policies to suit your needs. Get an online quote now.
