British parents spend an average of £3,400 on their child’s first car – and some forked out the full amount
BRITISH parents fork out £3,410 on average for their child's first car.
And some Brits are willing to fork out the full amount for a new motor.
A survey by revealed found one in six 'helped' their 16 to 21-year-olds to pay for their first vehicle, contributing an average of 45 per cent of the total cost.
But a lucky 16 per cent of youngsters had their parents pay the full amount.
The survey also revealed 44 per cent of parents help with the cost of their child’s car insurance.
One quarter will also pay the road tax, while a fifth even contribute towards petrol and diesel.
London parents put the most towards their children's car, parting with £4,351.
Mums and dads in the south west spend £2,678 on average, while people in the North East spend £3,365.
Around 414,000 Brits aged 21 or under passed their driving between April 2018 and March 2019, according to the DVLA, meaning parents could be spending a combined £340 million per year on kids’ first cars.
Keith Adams, editor of , said: "The research shows just how much is spent on new cars for first time drivers.
"It’s amazing to see just what parents are prepared to spend on their children so they can experience the independence of driving.
"Parents obviously want their kids to be safe when out on the roads alone so we know researching for the perfect first-time vehicle is a lengthy and often confusing process.
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"A first car is something we all remember – from the colour to its maker – and is likely to affect the car choices we make in the future.
More than one quarter of parents who bought or contributed to their child’s car said it’s a parent’s ‘duty’ to help out, while others did it to give the youngsters their own ‘independence’.
But almost half know their child can’t afford their own car, while 24 per cent said they’re helping out because the youngster ‘deserves it’.