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14th December 2022

Five best things to buy once you’ve passed your driving test

Just passed your driving test? Here are five wise buys to invest in to increase your enjoyment of driving and improve your road safety.

Car Insurance from just £125 per year

Passing your driving test and getting your first car is a fantastic experience. 

And it’s a good time to reward yourself for all the hard work you put into passing your driving test in the first place. Here the learner driver insurance specialists at Sterling identify five gifts that will increase the enjoyment you get out of your car and, in some cases, make you a safer driver.

1. Take out a black box insurance policy

Black box insurance, also known as telematics insurance, calculates your annual insurance premium according to the way you drive. If you drive well, you can save hundreds of pounds. 

With Sterling’s black box insurance, you’ll also get daily feedback on the way you’ve driven, allowing you to correct your mistakes on the road and improve.

2. Get a phone holder for your car

Phones have a lot of useful features designed to assist you while driving, such as GPS navigation and speakerphones for taking calls in your car. 

If you’re caught using your phone while driving in the two years after passing your test, you will receive six penalty points and have your licence revoked, so all of that hard work and time put into learning to drive will go to waste. You’ll then need to retake your test to get your licence back. 

Thankfully, you’re allowed to use your device hands free if it’s in a windscreen mount or dashboard holder and it isn’t obstructing your view of the road. Simply set your phone up and pop it into a magnetic or sucker-style holder before you even turn on the ignition and you can use it for navigation or to listen to music.

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3. Invest in blindspot mirrors

Many accidents occur because drivers do not check their blind spots. Blindspot mirrors are a cheap and effective way to improve safety by allowing you to see what’s in your blind spot without having to turn your head.

They can cost from as little as £5 and simply stick onto the existing wing mirrors. For a small amount of money, you can greatly improve your safety and the safety of other road users.

4. Treat yourself to some extra training

When you’re driving, every day is a school day. You don’t stop learning new driving skills just because you’ve got your licence. Why not accelerate that learning process by taking some extra training with an approved instructor or driving school?

There are a number of advanced driving courses available. They may save you money on the cost of your insurance too. 

5. Fit a dashcam

Having a dashcam in your vehicle means if you’re involved in an accident, you have hard evidence to show who was in the wrong. While dashcams can be expensive, they are worth the investment as they could end up saving you money if you’re involved in a crash. Additional security features like dashcams can also help you save on the initial cost of your insurance. 

Dashcams don’t have to take up a lot of room; you can get mini ones that are the size of a key ring. 

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Give Sterling a call and find out how much you could save

We think our Sterling quotation service is one of the best in the business. Call 0344 381 9990 for a swift no-hassle quote or request a callback at a time that suits you. 

Before calling for your insurance quote, why not take a few seconds to read our Car insurance jargon buster blog which explains some of the confusing terms around car insurance.

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