Children as young as 10-years-old are learning how to drive as a way of spreading the cost as motorists up and down the country deal with the cost of living crisis.
This comes as new data suggests that it costs more than £2,000 to learn how to drive, as young people struggle to get behind the wheel.
According to the RAC, the typical beginner needs around 45 hours of on-the-road tuition, in addition to a further 22 hours of further practice.
While this may not seem like a lot of training to get on the road, each lesson can cost between £25 and £45 on average, with higher prices in more populated areas.
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Children as young as 10 are learning how to drive
PA
Because provisional licences can cost up to £43, theory tests cost £23 and practical tests can cost as much as £62 on weekdays and £75 on weekends, younger people are looking to learn as early as they can.
Some parents are hoping to get their children behind the wheel while it's cheaper before costs rise again ahead of their 17th birthday.
Research from TrackDays.co.uk has reported a spike in the number of people looking to get driver training for those under 17, with a jump of more than 120 per cent since the start of the year.
In these lessons for younger motorists, qualified instructors provide insight into how to be safe behind the wheel, as well as some basic manoeuvres from clutch control and gear changes to steering and braking.
Once they have been taught the basics, they are taken onto a secure track under the supervision of an expert at more than 20 locations around the country.
Dan Jones, Operations Manager at TrackDays.co.uk, said: “The cost of passing your driving test is now eye-watering, even before you factor in the rising cost of fuel and insurance.
“It is encouraging to see smart-thinking young adults and their parents are planning ahead to get behind the wheel as early as possible to learn the essentials which will reduce the investment needed when they reach their 17th birthday.
He added that there were financial advantages to teaching children how to drive before they can get a licence, as well as learning more about safety.
The expert highlighted how many young drivers get involved in accidents shortly after people pass their practical tests, resulting in the need for more safety training.
Jones said people who were looking to train before they could pass their test would benefit and it would "pay dividends in the future.”
There have been calls in recent months for the Government to change rules for driving licences to put harsher rules on younger motorists as soon as they start driving.
MPs have suggested that this could include curfews to prevent them from driving at night, a ban on passengers for the first 12 months of having a licence and even restrictions on where they can drive.
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There have recently been calls for driving licence changes
Data from the Government states that young male drivers aged between 17 and 24 are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured compared to all other drivers over the age of 25.
Generally, the cause of crashes can often be down to a combination of losing control of the vehicle, excess speed and inexperience.
