Car insurance costs, combined with the price of driving lessons and their first set of wheels, are putting a lot of British youngsters off getting a licence.

Gocompare.com puts the average cost of getting a young driver on the road at £5,731 – two fifths of which is comprised of car insurance. Consequently, 13 per cent of parents admit their offspring haven't hit Britain's roads specifically because car insurance is too expensive.

Out of 1,500 parents questioned, 70 per cent said they've contributed to their children's driving lessons, almost a third have paid towards the cost of a car and 30 per cent have chipped into their car insurance costs.

The comparison site's Lee Griffin suggests that parents consider guiding their offspring towards slightly older vehicles, which they can then insure on a third party, fire and theft basis.

He adds: "There is no getting away from the fact that insurance for young drivers is expensive, but all insurers treat the problem differently and therefore it is young drivers who benefit most from shopping around."

The site's researchers also found nearly half of parents reckon the motor insurance industry could do more to help young drivers.

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