TEENAGER Connor McAteer won a new Volkswagen Polo S after taking part in the Good Egg Drivers School programme, a UK wide initiative which helps young people become better safer drivers.

The 17-year-old from Cumbernauld was picked from thousands of entrants in the Good Egg young drivers’ competition and got the keys to the blue VW Polo when it arrived at Greenfaulds High school in front of his teachers, fellow students and the Good Egg Team.

Connor is still learning to drive and has his test booked for February 2016. On finding out he’d won the new car he said “I can’t describe the feeling of winning this…people only dream of getting such an amazing prize. I thought it was a wind up! The workshop was great – not just because I won a car –but because I learnt things I didn’t know about which will hopefully help me to pass my test when I take it and keep my licence once I get it! None of us knew about the different qualifications for driving instructors or that we are in such a high risk age group. I’d recommend Good Egg Drivers to any of my mates who are serious about learning to drive well.”

The car, donated by Arnold Clark, is part of a drive to raise awareness of road safety among young drivers and passengers - and the keys were handed over by The Scottish Sun Rookie Racer Christie Doran, who is also an ambassador for the programme.

Christie said: “It was a real buzz to be able to give away the car to Connor, especially after seeing him attend one of our popular workshops in his school.”

Campaign chief Jan James added: “We are delighted that Connor has won this. His school has been especially supportive of this programme and his teachers really impressed us with the emphasis they put on student pastoral care alongside good academic performance. Both are equally important.

Rigorous Independent evaluation has underlined the effectiveness and importance of this programme in helping tackle the unacceptable high number of young driver and passenger casualties on UK roads.

We had over 5,000 entries from young people this year and thanks to the generosity of our partners Arnold Clark we now have another new car to be won next year, which is one of the many great incentives we offer for young people to engage in this potentially life-saving programme”

Paddy Adler, PT Pupil Support and Work Experience, Greenfaulds High School said: “Having carefully evaluated the Good Egg Driver programme with our S6 students, they have told us that it has really helped to raise their awareness of safe driving practices. A lot of the students felt it gave them the confidence to tell a driver to slow down if they felt they were driving too fast and be able to explain why they felt that way, which is really very encouraging to hear.

We feel that it is extremely important that all students, not just at Greenfaulds, have this vital opportunity to raise awareness of the issues and help prevent avoidable death and injury caused through careless driving.

“Education across all age groups is a key part of the council’s road safety strategy, and the Good Egg Drivers School programme is an excellent way for our senior pupils to learn the skills they need to keep them safe on the roads,” said Councillor James Coyle, Convener of the Planning and Transportation Committee. “Congratulations to Connor – I’m sure the lessons he learned on the programme will give him the skills to help pass his test and enjoy his new car.”

Eddie Hawthorne, Group Managing Director at Arnold Clark said: “Arnold Clark is very proud to help young drivers stay safe on the road through our support of the Good Egg Drivers Initiative. It is important that new drivers understand the risks and dangers that the roads present, and ensure that they protect their licence through safe and considerate driving at all times. We would like to offer our congratulations to Connor and wish him all the best for sitting his test in the coming months.”

Congratulations! You have passed your driving test. All of your hard work has paid off and you can now look forward to many years of happy motoring.

You now have the tough decision of deciding which car to go for. You may have already seen your perfect car, but aren’t sure how expensive it will be to insure. Or you may need some inspiration in finding one that’s insurance costs won’t eat up all your money.

To start off, it’s worth keeping in mind that vehicles can fall into 50 different insurance groups, with group one being the cheapest and group 50 being the most expensive. Insurance companies also take things into consideration such as the age of the car, safety features and where it will be parked when calculating cost.

To make things a bit clearer, we have compiled a list of cars that are in low insurance groups and will be the cheapest to insure if you are a new, young or teenage driver.

Vauxhall Corsa

The Vauxhall Corsa is one of the most popular cars in Britain and it is easy to see why.  It is cool, stylish and fun to drive. The good news is that its Expression Ecoflex model is in insurance group one, the cheapest insurance group.

Citroen C1

 The Citroen C1 VTr is in insurance group two and is ideal for city and urban driving. The C1 VTr is compact, making it perfect for new drivers who worry about squeezing into those tight parking spaces.

Peugeot 107 

 If looking for a car that has low running costs and low priced insurance, the Peugeot 107 is a car to consider. It comes in loads of fun colours too.  

Ford Ka 

The Ford Ka is a fantastic first car. The current Titanium model falls into insurance group four, making it ideal for a new driver.

Fiat 500 

If you are looking for a retro-inspired car that’s insurance won’t cost the earth, then the Fiat 500 may well be the one for you. Its Pop model sits in insurance group five.

Volkswagen Polo

The Polo has all the quality you would expect from Volkswagen, and stylish looks to boot. The insurance will be affordable too, as it is placed in group five.

Buying your first car is a major milestone, and there is so much choice that it really is a buyers’ market. Whatever you decide to go for, make sure it is right for you, not only in cost but how you feel when driving it. Older cars may seem more appealing due to their lower price but newer cars are reliable and will have the latest safety features. Many come with warranties and service plans, giving you peace of mind.

Your friend’s birthday is coming up, you have a phone bill to pay, there are end of school/college year holidays and nights out to fund, so where are you meant to find the money to fund driving on top of all that?  Learning to drive can cost up to £1,128 (based on the recommended 48 hours of lessons) and once you pass, things don’t get much easier. Here are some handy hints and tips on how to save the pennies while trying to keep up with your social calendar.

Don’t always go for the cheapest

When it comes to choosing an instructor, don’t always go for the cheapest. That may seem strange as this is a guide to saving money, but you will get better value from an instructor that is well suited to your individual way of learning.

Lesson length

You may find that a one-hour lesson just isn’t long enough for you to really get to grips with what you are being taught.  Often, two-hour lessons can seem exhausting but they can be more beneficial as you can practice manoeuvres until they are perfect.  This way you may feel that you get more out of a lesson and that means better value for money.

Passing your Theory test

Before being able to sit your practical driving test, you must pass your theory test.  When it comes to studying for this you can find all the information you need online.  However, if you’d prefer to study from an actual book, you should look for a second hand one or even try your local library in order to save costs.  The cost of sitting a driving theory test is currently £25, as of October 2014.  This is due to drop to £23 in October 2015.  This is an unavoidable cost when it comes to learning how to drive. Extra tip – make sure any second hand books you buy have the most up-to-date information and highway code.

Intense courses

Many learners who feel impatient can take part in an intense driving course, as they often come with the promise that they can teach anyone to drive within a week.  With this type of learning it is recommended that the theory test be taken first. This method may have a large initial outlay and therefore may not be suited to those that would rather spread the cost of their lessons.

Long-term benefits

Driving may not the cheapest thing to learn, but it is highly beneficial and will probably pay off eventually. It can help with employment and is a highly practical skill to have, so it is smart to think long term when it comes to driving.

Pass-Plus

Many drivers that pass their driving tests then go on to do the Pass-Plus course. This requires a further minimum of 6 hours of driving lessons and is used to improve new driver’s basic skills and ability to avoid accidents.  It will also give you the chance to do some motorway driving.  Pass-Plus will improve your confidence and can also decrease the price of your insurance premium. The discount you can receive on insurance often covers the cost of the extra lessons – making it virtually free and highly beneficial.