Learner drivers in the UK are turning to social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok to reduce the escalating costs associated with obtaining a driving license. However, driving instructors are warning of potential safety risks associated with misinformation found online.
The average cost of driving lessons has risen to between £35 and £50, with learners typically requiring 45 hours of professional instruction and an additional 22 hours of practice. The total expense of learning to drive is estimated to be around £2,460, a significant increase since 2020. This figure does not include the £23 theory test fee, the £65 practical test fee, or the cost of temporary driving insurance for private practice, which can range from £40 to £50 per month.
Megan Kielthy, 18, who passed her test in August, found that social media videos helped her save money. "I found that having access to YouTube allowed me to cut costs," she stated. "I would learn all the content with my instructor but then I was able to revisit content and then if there was something in a YouTube video that I didn't know, that I didn't fully understand, I was able to go back to my instructor and ask him." She also noted that her experience with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic made this approach feel natural.
However, Megan cautioned that not all online content is beneficial. "I stumbled across an AI image of a roundabout showing which lane to be in for the exit and it just made no sense," she recalled. "If people solely relied on online content it could lead to people going on their test unprepared or misinformed."
Betsi Seward, 18, is currently balancing her driving lessons with college studies and a part-time job. "Over the last couple of months my whole TikTok and Instagram is just people learning to drive," she observed. "I find them helpful. I was practicing how to do an emergency stop and I was watching videos on how to do that and it really helped to see like where to put my foot on the clutch and stuff like that."
Like Megan, Betsi also encountered unhelpful content. "When you post people making mistakes, that is what is going to get the attention and interaction," she said, referring to the engagement-driven nature of social media. She also pointed out the danger of AI-generated mock tests and routes, warning that new learners might not recognize them as inaccurate. "if you take that information into the car with you and it's wrong, then it's quite dangerous actually and quite scary."
John Reynolds, a driving instructor with 13 years of experience, began creating his own social media content last year. His videos cover test routes, common errors, and maneuvers. "I also do long videos on YouTube so people who can't afford driving lessons have got the opportunity to find out the correct way to do things for the test," he explained. "So by doing these extra lessons online, it can help bring down those costs."
Reynolds emphasized that his online content is intended to supplement, not replace, professional instruction. "I know straight away [if] they have been watching another video," he said, noting that some online advice can be too specific to certain vehicles. He aims for his content to be more universally applicable. "It needs to be used responsibly and it's looking for those snippets of information to actually improve your driving. You need the practical skills to make those actual decisions."
Carly Brookfield from the Driving Instructors Association (DIA) acknowledged the value of digital education but stressed the importance of practical training. "I'm a huge advocate of using digital education as something that goes hand in hand with practical training from a professional trainer," she stated. "That's excellent from the cost perspective, but it's also excellent because the most exposure you can get to driver education in this period, the safer you are." However, she cautioned, "You could possibly learn enough on YouTube and TikTok and you could possibly fluke a 45-minute driving test. What is the ultimate test of your driving and your driver education to that point is when you [are] on your own and you can cope with those risks. When it comes to road safety, we're talking about life and death."
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) commented that learner drivers can supplement their preparation with reputable social media content and private practice, alongside advice from Approved Driving Instructors and official learning materials like the Highway Code.