Petrol and insurance hikes see cost of motoring soar

THE cost of motoring rose dramatically in 2008, with large increases in the price of petrol and motor insurance.

However, new figures published by the Central Statistics Office also show that the price of both new and second-hand cars fell by almost 5%.

Motorists suffered a double-blow last year as the price of petrol increased by 13.4% on average, while the price of motor car insurance also rose by 14.3%.

The average price of cars has now risen by 12% over the past decade, while taxi fares have increased by over 57% over the same period.

Although motor insurance soared at one stage in the past decade, reaching a peak of 53% in 2002, it is now over 5% cheaper than it was back in 1998, although it is predicted car insurance costs will rise again in 2010.

The CSO transport report also highlights the seasonality of air fares, with significant price falls for flights during the off-season, which rise again during the peak summer period as well as major holidays like Christmas.

It also reveals that the average waiting time for a driving test has almost halved after a record number of examinations were held last year. The CSO figures show a record 388,366 driving tests were conducted during 2008 – a 96% increase on the previous year.

The average waiting time to sit the test fell from almost 19 weeks in 2007 to 9½ weeks at the start of 2009.

Driving test centres were inundated with applications to sit the test during 2008 after new regulations came into effect which restricted the ability of holders of a second provisional licence holders from driving unaccompanied.

Over 362,000 learner drivers applied for the test – a 25% increase on 2007.

The CSO figures also reveal that younger motorists obtained a higher pass rate than older drivers sitting the test. Motorists under 25 had an average pass rate of 62.4%, while applicants aged 26 and over only had a pass rate of 56.7%. Men had a slightly higher success rate than women.

However, one-third of 154,000 who sat the Driver Theory Test in 2008 failed the multiple choice exam.

Meanwhile, over 835,000 vehicles were submitted for the National Car Test, with 94% passing the examination, of which 52% passed on the first test.

According to the CSO, there were almost 2.5 million vehicles on Irish roads at the end of 2008 with private cars accounting for 77% of the total. The national fleet has increased by 65% over the past decade.

Over 60,000 second-hand cars were imported into the State last year, with the vast majority originating in Britain.

It is estimated that Irish cars travelled a total of 43.8 billion miles last year. The average distance travelled by private cars was 16,376 kilometres (10,176 miles). Motorists living in the Midlands clock up the most miles, with Dublin drivers having the lowest annual mileage.