Can Games, TikTok or Simulations Help You Learn to Drive?

Maybe it is a good start. Fact is, driving lessons can be expensive these days, plus there is more to learn than ever before on bus lane restrictions, LTNs, ULEZ zone signage, pedestrian and cyclist priority and so on. It’s wise to arm yourself with knowledge before you get behind the wheel tbh, so games and simulations can be a great place to start. IE found a review on You Tube which features UK roads and car simulation. As a first time driver it looks kinda useful, re signs, urban speeds, looking at junctions etc – if you have a VR headset to play the game online.

Here’s the word from Marmalade;

New research has revealed almost a quarter of young drivers in the UK have turned to gaming in place of driving lessons as a way to save money as the cost-of-living crisis impacts driving tuition.

Learner driver insurance company, Marmalade found 24% of young drivers have watched driving YouTube videos, played interactive driving apps on their phones or used driving simulation games to help with learning to drive due to the increasing cost of driving lessons, with one learner saying:

“I use driving simulation games and watch driving lesson videos on TikTok.”

This comes after Marmalade surveyed more than 3,000 young drivers as well as over 500 driving instructors across the UK to gauge the impact of the cost-of-living on learning to drive.

£35 PER HOUR LESSONS

The figures show the average hourly rate has consistently increased up to 23% since 2020, now at £35 an hour with some instructors saying this could now be as much as £40, which would make for a 40% increase.

The majority (87%) of driving instructors surveyed have increased their hourly lesson rate for students since 2022. The highest hourly rate recorded in the research was £75 per hour for a Saturday morning driving lesson.

Commenting on the increasing costs of learning to drive, Chris Lawson, Head of Insurer Relations for car insurance at Marmalade, said:

“The issue of rising costs impacting learner drivers is not a new one, with learners and instructors alike having to combat this since the start of the pandemic. As many others did, learners likely expected this to subside but with the cost-of-living crisis we now face, it has only been getting worse. As a result, many young people are now finding themselves priced out of learning to drive, with instructors caught between a rock and a hard place.

The rise in costs is leading some learners aiming to pass their driving test with fewer lessons, according to more than half (62%) of driving instructors, while perhaps more worryingly, 33% have noticed some learner drivers stopping lessons entirely.

Chris added:

“Learning to drive is an essential skill that allows young people to explore many more opportunities in their lives and we would advise learners to speak to their instructors if they’re struggling with their options in progressing through tuition.”