Information site for young and learner drivers

Barely Legal Drivers

2013-04-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

Click here to watch

Barely Legal Drivers

Britain’s young drivers are some of the most dangerous in Europe. Now BBC Three turns its cameras on unsuspecting teenagers as they take to the road in the family car. Believing they are filming a slice of modern teenage life, the rookie drivers are unaware that their parents will be watching every manoeuvre through state-of-the-art cameras placed in the cars plus a telemetry device tracking their speed.

Each teen takes three road trips geared towards testing every aspect of their driving. At the end, a former traffic cop joins their parents to judge whether they should have a car of their own or more lessons.

First up are two very different characters. Tommy thinks he could give Lewis Hamilton a run for his money, while Chantelle is a prime candidate for anger management. Tommy’s behaviour both in and out of the car is a cause for concern for his parents as he inflates condoms, snogs his way round clubs and even gets breathalysed. Seeing him up close makes dad Ajay want to become a better father. For Chantelle it’s a heady mix of screaming and near misses as she combines her road rage with an addiction for using her phone while driving. It’s uncomfortable viewing for her dad, Mike.

Teentrack have been very interested in this programme as they provided the GPS tracking devices or black boxes used in the programme. With the technology available to monitor the driving of these teenagers, Teentrack had a first hand opportunity to see exactly what was going on instantly as the cars were driven.

If you are are interested in purchasing a tracker used in the programme “Barely Legal Drivers", then please visit our main site for more information about helping your teenager become a safer driver on the roads.

Learner drivers to learn for at least a year

2012-10-04T02:07:00.001-07:00

Finally, common sense prevails.

THE ABI says that people “should be made to learn for at least a year”.

Teentrack fully endorses the idea. Young drivers need to experience different road conditions, weather and be taught how to anticipate new situations with the guidance of experienced drivers. For example, wet roads, snow, dusk, bright sunshine, built up areas etc.

We are not necessarily advocating more expensive driving lessons, but more opportunities to sit in a car getting valuable experience from those who have been on the roads for longer.

Some people are complaining, saying it’s an excuse for more money to be paid out for driving instructors. But ABI have looked at the evidence:

More crashes take place during the hours of 11pm and 4am.

The higher the number of passenger, the higher the risk of fatalities

The use of alcohol and people who are unsure of their limits

So by pushing for change, there can only be one outcome. LESS DEATHS OF YOUNG PEOPLE

What do you think? Let us know your thoughts.

Reason Number 1 to have a tracker fitted to your vehicle.

2012-07-27T06:33:00.002-07:00

2012-07-02T04:04:00.001-07:00

Higher insurance for female drivers

The law that allows car insurance companies to over-ride sexual discrimination legislation and charge lower premiums for women drivers is due to end in December 2012 leading, almost certainly, to higher insurance premiums for women drivers. Some women – particularly those in the 17-25 age bracket - can expect their premiums to increase by up to 25% on their next renewal date. These, of course, are the drivers who already find themselves paying the highest premiums for car insurance.

Until now, insurers have been permitted to charge lower premiums for women on the basis that they are statistically safer drivers. After December, this can no longer apply and women will need to find alternative ways of reducing insurance premiums.

Industry experts are already suggesting that the way forward for women drivers – particularly those under 30 – will be to prove to insurers that they are safer drivers by other means. And the most obvious “other means” will be the installation of TeenTrack style black boxes.

The black box doesn’t know who is driving the car – male or female – and will simply report on the standard of driving. Better standards of driving – irrespective of gender - will be taken into account by insurers in assessing premiums. TeenTrack will, from now on, recommend the installation of black boxes to most young female drivers, to ensure the lowest premiums possible.

It therefore seems that, especially for young female drivers, it is more important than ever to be able to show insurers that their driving standards warrant lower insurance premiums – and TeenTrack can provide you with the advice to show just that!!

Click here for advice on black box insurance

2012-05-25T01:52:00.001-07:00

Cheap car insurance is not a reality for most young drivers

According to research, young drivers are spending around 18% of their full time salary on car insurance.

The average price for male drivers is £3,635, whereas insurance for females is a less eye-watering £1,869. However, despite the high price of car insurance, the reasearch has actually found that cover for younger drivers has been driven down over the past year.

But until young drivers show a history of safe driving, they are always going to be a more high risk option for insurance companies and therefore will be forced to pay higher premiums.

Young people are a higher risk for a number of reasons including, less experience, less able to react to unfamiliar road situations and the distance they travel.

The popularity of pay-as-you-drive insurance is becoming more popular as young people are using them in order to pay less for their car insurance.

So what is the best advice for young people. Choose a cheap car to insure. Find out the insurance costs before buying the car.

Have a look at pay-as-you-drive insurance as one way of lowering your car insurance.

Do you have any questions? We will always try to help. Add your comments below and join the debate.

2012-05-19T06:24:00.001-07:00

This site is designed to give you the most up-to-date information regarding driving on Britain's roads. We have already researched how to choose driving instructors, the cheapest cars to insure and have looked closely at pay-as-you-drive insurance.

For those unfamiliar with the term, it is anticipated that this is the way young drivers will be insured in the next few years. Also known as black box insurance or telematics, insurers will be able to give a premium depending on how you drive. This will mean that if you are a good, safe driver you will pay less insurance, rather than being stereotyped as a young dangerous driver.

This is great news for the vast majority of young drivers on the roads today. Cheaper car insurance for safer drivers!!

So, what next?

Explore our site, tell your friends, add comments telling us how we are doing, join the debate, ask questions, we will always try to help.

The Teentrack Team

Get a cheap car insurance quote now.