money – Traffic School Online

Permit and License Fees

Before you have even had a chance to get behind the wheel you will need to shell out some money. To get your permit you will need to pay a fee. The fee varies by state so check your local DMV for the cost. After you have become a confident driver and are ready for your driving test you will need to pay again to get your license. Again, check with your DMV to learn the cost for your state.

Vehicle

To be a driver you need something to drive. Many new teenage drivers have their eyes on their own set of wheels. Buying a car new tends to be a large investment and is often something a teenager cannot afford. Some families select to just share the vehicles the parents drive. Others search for an affordable used car. A few parents will buy their teenager a new set of wheels. As you’d expect, the cost of these three options varies from free to many thousand dollars so the route you choose will set your cost.

Repairs

Purchasing a used car is often done because it is cheaper. It is a good idea to have the car inspected by a trusted mechanic before buying it. Sometimes a used car ends up costing more due to unexpected repairs. In any case a new or used car will need repairs at some point. It is wise to have at least a few hundred dollars saved up in case you need new brakes or tires or if another issue pops up.

Insurance

Once you have obtained your driver’s license you will need to notify the insurance company. If you will be sharing the family vehicle the cost of insurance for the family will increase. This is because a new, inexperienced driver is more likely to have an accident than someone who has been driving for many years. If the new driver is a teenager the cost will be even higher. While the amount of insurance premium increase will vary depending on which state you live in, a Forbes article indicated that the average increase was 79%. The increase is higher for male drivers than female drivers.

If you buy a car for the new driver the insurance company will have to get notified and the car added to the family policy. Again, the insurance premiums will increase.

Inspection and Registration

If your new driver will be purchasing a used or new vehicle they will likely have to deal with inspection and registration. The specifics of these two items vary from state to state.

Seventeen states require cars to be inspected either every year or every other year. In some cases, the rules vary within a state so it depends on where the driver lives. For those locations where an inspection is required, there is a cost to have the mechanic conduct the inspection. Often this is not too pricey. Of course, if they find any issues that prevent the car from passing inspection the cost of repair to get the vehicle back on the road may be significant.

States require registration and the car owner must get license plates. Registration often has to be renewed every other year and requires the car owner to pay a fee.

Gas

A new driver will need to put gas in their vehicle. To estimate the cost of gas you will be using every month, you need to estimate how many miles you will be driving and the gas mileage your vehicle achieves. If you will be commuting a long distance to school or a job you may find you have to fill your tank more than once a week. This can result in hundreds of dollars in gas costs. Those who just travel locally will find the gas cost is not as significant.

While most parents look forward to their child being able to drive themselves to and from sports practice, they are often shocked at the costs associated with having a new driver in the family! It is good to understand the details so you can budget accordingly.

Easy and proactive steps to real world savings, insurance discounts, and professional driver improvement.

In recent years, rideshare and delivery services, such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and GrubHub, have become increasingly popular for their customers and as a second career. If you are a driver or plan to become one of these drivers, then we’ve got 5 easy tips to help you save money every month!

5 – It’s All About the Benjamins: Getting Insurance Discounts

Any driver is required to have auto insurance, but were you aware that your personal auto insurance policy does not necessarily shield you from liability for accidents and traffic tickets that occur whilst you are driving professionally! For this reason, many Uber drivers choose to acquire “rideshare” insurance, but those policies can get really expensive. That’s why, if you plan to work for a delivery or rideshare service, you should ask your auto insurance provider if the policy you have allows for a “Voluntary Driver improvement course” in exchange for an insurance discount. Many policyholders have that stipulation already in their policy just waiting to be applied for a nice little discount. If you are eligible, you can easily enroll in a driver improvement course to get that insurance discount and save money today.

4 – If I Could Turn Back Time: Fixing Your Driving Record

Maybe you want to be a driver, but you have an existing ticket on your record. Some states actually allow you to take a “points credit” course to retroactively remove the demerit points on your record that may be there due to past tickets. Plus, removing these points will very frequently improve and lower your current insurance premiums. Some states that offer points credit courses are Alaska, Nevada, New Jersey, and Virginia. For more details, contact trafficschoolonline-dev.plume.co.uk/ or call 800 800 3579.

3 – Stand By Your Plan: Make A Plan To Reduce Daily Expenses

Make A Plan To Reduce Daily Expenses Knowing when and where to drive will help you increase the fare potential during your shifts. Familiarizing yourself with the area you will be driving in will also reduce unnecessary driving and fuel expenditure between locations you may need to utilize during your shift, such as public restrooms and gas stations. Additionally, your plan should include affordable meal prep; put simply, that means you can prepare yourself a weeks worth of sandwiches in advance, for about the cost of a single fast food combo-meal. So save money by bringing snacks with you during your shift, and avoid excess spending on fast food.

2 – Papa’s got a brand-new bag: Special Discounts For Mature Drivers

Special Discounts For Mature Drivers It may not surprise you to learn that most frequent rideshare users are under the age of 30, you may be surprised to learn that, according to a poll conducted in 2017, 54% of Uber drivers are over the age of 50, with almost 25% over 60. It also may surprise you to learn that many insurance companies offer specific auto insurance discounts to senior drivers who pass a “mature driver improvement course”. So, if you are 55+ and looking for a way to reduce your insurance costs, a Mature Driver Course may just be for you.

1 – She Works Hard For The Money: Proactively Protecting Your License

As a professional driver you will be on the road more than the average driver, so your odds of being pulled over for a minor moving violation is substantially higher than that of the average motorist. Non-Criminal traffic tickets, such as rolling through a stop sign, or minor speeding infractions are the number 1 reason for car insurance to go up. Fortunately, most states have a way to prevent a traffic ticket from being seen by your auto insurance company. So if you get a ticket while driving, it’s best to be proactive and contact a traffic school ASAP, before your insurance company has a chance to ding you for it.

We hope this guide to traffic tickets, auto insurance discounts, and professional driver tips to save money has been helpful; so, if you have any other questions about driver improvement courses for insurance discounts, feel free to contact us.

◉ New Driver? Consider the Costs of Driving