Which one do I really need? This way you can save money on your driving license
March 15, 2024, 6:18 a.m. Listen to article
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Finally driving a car – that’s what many young people want. But getting your driver’s license is not a cheap pleasure. A few tips from the Autos Club Europe (ACE) can help you save.
The run for the driver’s license continues unabated. The TÜV Association reports this with reference to the increase in the number of theoretical and practical driving tests in 2023 compared to the previous year. But getting a driving license for a car can be extremely expensive. The Auto Club Europa (ACE) has put together a few tips on how to save a few euros.
Choose the right driving school and the right driving license
As everywhere else, compare prices and offers and read the general terms and conditions carefully. When it comes to price, for example, preference should be given to the driving school that charges a cheaper price per driving hour than the one that charges a cheaper basic fee, according to the ACE. Because the latter is only due once. Tip: Some driving schools also have complete offers including a vision test and first aid course. This could be cheaper and also save time.
What do I really need? You should have answered this question before the training starts. This saves costs in the end if further training is not necessary later. Is a normal class B car driving license enough? Is an extension for a trailer necessary? The driving school you are targeting can also help with the selection.
Automatic or manual car?
The ACE gives an example: If you only want to drive automatic cars in the future, you can learn to drive an automatic car straight away at driving school. In this way, practice hours can be saved if, among other things, you don’t have to learn how to drive off and shift gears correctly with a manual transmission.
But: If you only learn on automatic and take the test, you will later only be allowed to drive cars with automatic transmission. The key number 78 in the driver’s license documents this. “You should think about this very carefully. Because if you are confronted with a stick-shift car later in your everyday life, for example in a rental car, you cannot and must not drive it,” says ACE press spokeswoman Jeannine Ulm.
Anyone who only realizes during driving school training that a restriction to “automatic only” is not sufficient can switch to the B 197 mix form. A total of 10 hours of 45 minutes each on a manual car and a 15-minute test drive must then be demonstrated.
“And you should also make sure that this change reaches the driving license office in good time before the practical test,” says Ulm. The key number in the application must be changed from 78 to 197, which costs another 12.80 euros. You can then take the test with an automatic car and later drive both types.
Learn concentrated and focused
Prospective driver learners should not take their training “lightly”, but rather prepare thoroughly, advises the ACE. Because with good planning, lots of practice and enough time, the chances of passing the exam on the first attempt increase. Otherwise, extra costs for additional hours and examination fees must be taken into account. Learner drivers should also not leave too many gaps between individual driving lessons so as not to forget what they have learned due to a lack of driving experience.
Many fail – even more often
But success is not guaranteed, as the statistics show: 42 percent of learner drivers failed the theoretical test in 2023, according to the current data report from the TÜV Association. This is a new negative record. Compared to the previous year, the failure rate increased by 3 percentage points. Around one in three failed the practical test (30 percent). And multiple failures are more the rule than the exception. The failure rate for the theoretical re-examinations is 54 percent (compared to 2014: 45 percent) and for the practical ones it is 40 percent (2014: 32 percent).
How can I get my driving license abroad?
Basically: In Germany, according to ACE, the practical test can only be taken at the place of your main residence or at the place of school or vocational training, study or job. However, if you want to purchase the license elsewhere, which can sometimes be cheaper, you must have your main residence in this location for at least 185 days.
Exceptions are schoolchildren and students in other EU countries who can retain their residence in Germany. You can get a driving license if you live there for at least 6 months. An EU driving license does not need to be rewritten and is valid throughout the EU.
But be careful: the language barrier and a possible different traffic culture should not be underestimated, according to the car club.
2024-03-15 05:26:12
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