A lot of people will take their driving test at 17, ticking off one of the biggest skills in life. However, there are more and more individuals that don’t do this – for one reason or another – and get to the midpoint of their lives without knowing how to drive. There’s nothing wrong with being 30, 40 or 50, and not being able to drive a car. Still, some people in this position wonder if they should start learning.
Is it worth learning to drive later in life?
Improved convenience
If you’re sick and tired of relying on public transport or other people, then driving can really improve your convenience. Perhaps you’ve always lived within walking distance of everywhere you need to go, but you recently moved. Now, you need to get a bus or train to work, so learning to drive will be very beneficial at this point in your life.
Similarly, you may have recently had your first child, so you suddenly feel the need to drive, meaning your partner isn’t responsible for taking them everywhere.
Harder to learn
It is proven that older drivers find it harder to learn than younger ones. Part of this is because you’re more mature and wise, so you know the risks associated with driving. As a result, you get more anxious behind the wheel than a 17-year-old would.
Therefore, you have to wonder if it is worth wasting your time on dozens of lessons and tests at your age. Perhaps you should give it a go, see how the lessons pan out, then decide if you should go ahead with it or not.
An extra expense
A huge benefit of not driving is that you don’t have a car to look after. It can cost money to buy and run your car, and this eats away at your budget. You really need to look at your finances to figure out if you can financially deal with the added expense of driving lessons, tests, and the ongoing car running costs.
What to do if you want to learn
Admittedly, the only reason it is worth learning to drive when you’re older is if it genuinely improves your life with the convenience it provides. For some, this can be a dealbreaker that forces them to get behind the wheel.
In this situation, be sure to do the following:
- Get your provisional license
- Do lots of driving theory revision and pass that as quickly as possible, getting it out of the way
- Book lessons with a qualified instructor
- Try to go out in a car independently as often as possible, with someone with you in the passenger seat
- Only book your test when you are confident you will pass. This saves money by preventing the need for repeat tests
Realistically, it’s not always worth learning to drive if you’ve got your way through life without a license already. As mentioned above, it all comes down to how convenient life will be with a car in the picture.
