According to the eNatis national driver’s licence population statistics, the number of Code B licensed drivers (driving motor vehicles, including minibuses, buses and goods vehicles, with a gross vehicle mass not exceeding 3 500kg) has increased by 10 631 between December 2016 and January 2017. Even with a significant increase in licensed drivers in just one month, there is still a vast number of South Africans who do not pass the driver’s licence test the first time.  

So what are the main reasons for people failing their driver’s licence test?  

“Many people do not research the driving school or instructor beforehand, are unfamiliar with important driver’s test rules and scoring, experience the test route for the first time when taking the test, or are simply too nervous on the day,” says Derek Wilson, Head of online insurance and financial services comparison website, Hippo.co.za, “These and other factors could be demotivating and costly to drivers”.  

Tips to consider if you plan on getting your licence in 2017:  

• Pick the right teacher — Do your research and ask around to get reviews from others to ensure you have a legitimate, ethical and experienced driving school and instructor.
• Know the rules — Avoid disappointment by familiarising yourself with the immediate fail items (on the K53 website) so that you do not fall victim to unfair failures. If, for example, the vehicle is not licensed or roadworthy, it is considered an immediate fail.
• Don’t rush it — Ensure that you complete a sufficient number of lessons and can successfully complete all the manoeuvres before you even book your test date.
• Practice makes perfect — Keep practising until the test day arrives and ask your driving instructor to take you for a trial on the test route and in the test yard two or three days before your test.
• Stay relaxed and focused — Mentally reassure and remind yourself that you have done it all before and that you can do what is required. Try not to rush things and rather take your time to do it properly.  

“For those who will also be driving their own car once they are legally licensed drivers, remember that insurers factor in how long you have had your licence when calculating your monthly premium. As a newly licensed driver, you will likely be charged a higher premium than someone who has been driving for longer. Ensure you compare from a range of South African providers at Hippo.co.za,” concludes Wilson, “You could save hundreds of Rands per month* on your Car Insurance alone by using our platform”.

Notes:

Established in 2007, Hippo.co.za is South Africa’s leading comparison website that helps consumers save money by comparing a range of South African providers across financial products such as Car Insurance, Household Insurance, Life Insurance, Medical Aid and more. Hippo.co.za is free to use and saves consumers the time and hassle of shopping around for the best deal since the Hippo.co.za website instantly retrieves real-time quotes from the different providers using the latest Internet technology. You could save hundreds of Rands per month* on your Car Insurance alone by using Hippo.co.za to compare before you buy or switch to a new provider.   Hippo.co.za makes money by simply charging its partners a fee when a customer chooses to find out more about their products. The results consumers see, and the order in which they are presented, are in no way influenced by the fee Hippo.co.za charges its partners or any other factors other than the price of the product being compared.   

For more information, visit us on www.hippo.co.za, connect with Hippo.co.za on LinkedIn, http://www.linkedin.com/company/hippo-comparative-services-pty-ltd/, like us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/HippoSA, and follow us on Twitter, @Hippo_co_za and YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/user/hippocompare. Hippo Comparative Services (Pty) Ltd is an authorised financial services provider (FSP number: 16357). Terms and Conditions apply. *Based on 2016 independent market research conducted by Kaufman Levin Associates.