As many as 50 per cent of motorists felt under-prepared and nervous when taking to the road for the first time after passing their driving test, it was revealed this week.

Nearly 90 per cent took less than the recommended 40 hours of lessons before taking the test, according to a survey by car insurance company ingenie and the RoadSafe organisation. Male drivers aged 17-25 said their main emotion after passing the test was confidence.

Yet they were more than twice as likely to have a collision in their first month of driving compared with female drivers.

Overall, the poll of 1,000 UK motorists showed that 35 per cent of drivers admitted to having had a collision in their first year of driving.

Ingenie chief executive Richard King said: "It's clear from our research findings that many young drivers speed through their theory and practical tests and get straight out on to the road without the essential skills necessary to give them confidence to drive alone."