Junior driving experiences for under 17s surge amid test centre backlog

The UK's leading driving experience provider, DrivingExperience.com, has seen bookings for its Under 17s Driving Lessons increase by 43% in the first half of 2024, compared to the same period last year.

This comes against the backdrop of DVSA chaos, with research conducted by the AA revealing that the average waiting time for a driving test in Great Britain now being higher than before the Covid pandemic at the majority of centres.

Freedom of Information (FoI) data shows that at the start of February, would-be drivers had to wait an average of 14.8 weeks for a test from the time of booking. By the start of May that had risen to 17.8 weeks – a 20% increase.

In fact, recent research conducted by DrivingExperience.com exposed the fact that 34 out of around 380 practical driving test centres across the UK had waiting lists of at least 23 weeks.

These trends, DrivingExperience.com claims, is driving the popularity of its junior packages, as more and more youngsters look to get a head start of their learning as they anticipate painful delays in booking an elusive test.

Junior Driving Experiences are available to youngsters aged 10-17 years old, meaning a driving licence is not needed. The packages give an actual insight into what skills are required to drive a car. All cars are fitted with dual controls and drivers learn with a qualified instructor.  

Dan Jones, operations manager at DrivingExperience.com, commented: "Amid unprecedented delays in driving test availability, we are witnessing an extraordinary surge in demand for our Under 17s Driving Lessons.

"With waiting times now exceeding pre-pandemic levels, young learners are increasingly turning to alternative solutions to gain vital driving skills and experience. Our programs are designed to give teenagers a head start by providing practical, hands-on driving lessons in a safe and controlled environment, such as race circuits and airfields."

"This not only helps them build confidence behind the wheel but also ensures they are better prepared for their future driving tests, despite the current backlog."