So that brings up another question ….
Thanks so much, truly, for the personal stories and suggestions regarding kids and banking accounts. I think this upcoming Spring Break, when we have some spare time on our hands, we’ll all mosey on over to the local bank (yes, the one that gives out warm Otis Spunkmeyer cookies on Fridays, I’m not stupid) and see about getting some accounts set up. I especially like that whole “anyone can deposit, but only an adult can withdraw” concept.
But, a few comments made me wonder about yet another topic ….. the idea of kids automatically getting cars when they turn 16. I mentioned that is what my kids’ savings accounts are for (other things they want to save up for, like special toys or games, they have to do on their own, out of the rest of their allowance money) and a few of you said the idea of 16 year olds with cars gave you hives. Which made me wonder how common, or rare, that might be in other parts of the country.
Here, I wouldn’t say its automatic. I also wouldn’t say its a rarity. The year I turned 16 my birthday was on the actual Labor Day holiday, which meant I couldn’t get my drivers license until the next day. I remember feeling very annoyed and thwarted by this. Twenty-four hours is a long time to wait when you are a teenager, right? But the next day, my mom let me skip first hour and drove me to the DMV to take my test. Then (since thank goodness I actually PASSED) she let me drive back home, where my car was waiting for me in the driveway. She went on to work, and I officially began my career as a licensed driver.
My first car was a 1973 (and yes, this was in 1982) Maverick. It was green, with tan pleather seats. No air conditioning, no heat. Which meant those pleather seats were freezing in the winter, and burned the skin off the back of your thighs in the summer. My sister nicknamed it “Speedy” because, well, because it quite clearly was NOT. I bought it from my uncle for $500 …… $500 that I had to save myself, out of my own money, doing whatever I did back then to save money. I didn’t get an allowance, so I have very vague memories of a summer job at a wholesale bakery, and perhaps some babysitting. What I do remember is that a large portion of the $500 I paid him was in single-dollar bills. I’m sure my uncle appreciated that.
The vast majority of my friends also got cars when they turned 16. Most of them, like me, got old cars that either their parents passed down to them, or that they had to buy themselves. Only a few got new (or even new-ish) cars simply handed to them. From that point, my parents paid my monthly insurance, provided I kept a ticket-free driving record, and gave me $10 on the first of every month, which would fill up one tank of gas. If I couldn’t make that last all month, the car was parked until I could come up with more gas money.
The reason, I suppose, so many of us got cars (needed cars?) when we turned sixteen was because of school. Remember, our school district does not provide busing, so we were responsible for our own transportation to and from school. I lived about half a mile from the school and could walk …. in fact, *did* walk many times. But by the time I was a junior in high school, which, because of my late birthday, is when I in fact turned 16, most days to and from school I was carrying books, pom-poms, and either a french horn or a saxophone, or both. Lugging all that crap back and forth while walking, quite honestly, was a hassle. And the majority of my friends transferred into this school, which meant they might live miles and miles and miles away. My sister’s boys live almost 20 miles from the school. She makes the drive, twenty-five minutes each way, at least three times a day, taking kids to school, home from school, to sports practice, to games, to after-school activities, etc. I think she can’t wait for the day my oldest nephew turns 16 and can help out with hauling the other kids. (Must be dependable, must be a responsible driver, must be trustworthy, blah, blah, blah.)
I was also responsible for getting myself to and from the football stadium, about two miles from the school, for marching band practice at 7am. Then responsible for getting myself to school by 8am. Walking two miles in the dark was not an option in my parent’s opinion, so they did it every day, until I could do it myself. If you didn’t already have a car, and your parents were unable to bring you, you mooched a ride from someone who did. These days, boys’ 7th hour sports practice is at the workout facility at that same stadium ….. boys are responsible for getting themselves there, during the school day. Our school matches freshman and sophomores, who often don’t have licenses or cars, with juniors and seniors who do. What about sports practices that last until 4pm? No busing home. Either you walk home, or your parents come get you. Unless you have a car and can drive yourself.
Also, our school had (and still has, to this day) an open campus for lunch. Although you could walk to the elementary school and eat in the cafeteria with the little kids ……….. please. Be serious. Who’s going to do that? Once you were a freshman, again, you either drove yourself to lunch, or got a ride from a friend. Even today, I see the kids who aren’t old enough for cars walking the half mile to the local pizza shop or sandwich shop, or even the food court at the university across the street, for lunch.
We don’t have busing, nor do we have any form of public transportation in this town.
A car at 16, while certainly not a necessity, just makes everyone’s life easier. Perhaps the kids who aren’t involved in school activities or sports, or who don’t have part-time jobs, or who live close to the school and don’t do anything more than go back and forth each day, well, maybe those kids don’t have a need. But I know by the time I turned 16, my mom was thrilled to be released from even a little bit of the requirement of getting me and my sister from the dozens of places we needed to be, all the time. You add in those first six months, when driving was shiny and exciting and new, and I was more than happy to run ANY errands for her, and I’m pretty sure it was a dreamland for her.
I guess I tell you this to justify why me and so many of my friends had cars back then ….. although until people mentioned it in the comment section, I never gave it another thought. I knew not EVERYONE got a car at sixteen, and certainly in big cities its not common at all. But I guess I assumed it was more common than it might really be.
So I’m curious, where you live — cars at 16? Yes or no? Why or why not?
67 Responses to So that brings up another question ….
February 19th, 2010 saat: 9:57 AM
Well, here in good ol’ NJ…nope, no cars at 16…since the age to legally drive is 17. (And under the new law going into effect in May, drivers between the ages of 17 and 21 can only drive between 7 am and 11 pm, no passengers and have to place a holographic sticker in their car indicating their age…yeah..don’t get me started on that one)
But around here, most people get cars when they get their license, for many of the same reasons you said (our district does bus, but if you have after school activities your SOL on the bus front). I know I started working at 15, saved for a car, and purchased an 89 Cougar (this was in 03) with my money – and the battery died every time it rained. I also had to get a cell phone when I got my own car (the cell phone i’d been begging my mother for for at least 2 years..) although these days most kids have their own phones by 16.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 10:01 AM
Why not? My son bought his first car shortly before he turned 16. He had some money saved and we co-signed a loan with him for the balance. It was a “grandma car” – not flashy or sporty, but it got him where he needed to go. We live in a smallish town, and he certainly could have walked to the high school, but get real – nobody does that. What a nice change – I no longer had to go out and warm up my car (Minnesota winters, don’t you know?) to pick him up at school after away basketball games late at night. He drove his younger sister to school as well. She inherited the car once he had enough money to purchase another one his senior year, and yes – we still have it. I made both kids sign a contract for driving, which spelled out all the rules and expectations I had for them and what the consequences would be if they broke them (let me know if you want a copy for your kids).
February 19th, 2010 saat: 10:04 AM
I got a car at 16. It was a 1992 Beretta with chipping paint and teal cloth seats that were ripping at the seams. I loved that stupid car. I got it for Christmas when I was 16 (it was a hand-me down from an older cousin) and we have pictures of me opening that gift and all you can see are my tonsils. My high school was 20 minutes away from my house by car (an hour by school bus) and I was UBER involved in all things fine arts related so it just made sense for me to get a car.
That being said, I live in a REALLY urban area now with a decent city bus system and rail line. When I taught middle school I saw students coming in every day off of the bus and walking to our school. Not sure how I would feel about my daughter doing that, but I’m also not sure how I’d feel about her driving in a major city. Things I’ll put off thinking about for now seeing as how she’s not quite one.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 10:08 AM
When I turned 16 (in 1991), we lived about 25 miles from school, also, so my parents were almost offensively eager to get me my license. As my birthday is right after New Years, I took my test on a Friday and drove to school, in my mother’s 1980 something station wagon, on Monday. (Of course, I was a responsible kid, straight A student, active in our church youth group, etc.,). I did not get my “own” car until the second semester of my freshman year in college, after I’d brought home a 4.0 GPA for my first semester. Even then, it was a 1984 Plymouth K Car that lasted me through graduation (when, funnily enough, my grandmother gave me her 1984 Plymouth K Car as a college graduation gift. Hey, no car payment was no car payment.) I was 25 or 26 years old before I bought my very first (used) car.
Anyway, now, however, we have a 10 year old who thinks she’s entitled to a car at 16, even though her school is roughly a mile away, assuming you use the sidewalks and don’t take the “backyard highway.” She has been utterly dismayed to find out that she quite likely will be 17 or 18 before she even gets her license, and she will probably be in college and working a part time job to pay for gas and insurance, before we even consider getting her a car. It will all depend on how responsible she is, how her grades are, and if we feel like we can trust her.
Of course, we also have a 13 month old and another baby on the way, so we might change our minds altogether in 6 years and shamelessly exploit her newbie driving skills! :)
February 19th, 2010 saat: 10:44 AM
Ann, I would LOVE a copy!! We have a cell phone contract, as well. Kristie
February 19th, 2010 saat: 10:46 AM
My car at 16, was a 1963 Mercury Comet with a three-speed stick shift on the column. That was in 1975. My Grandpa got it for me and I paid him back. Our kids also had cars at 16. Same scenario with our town and school as yours. They didnt have to pay for the entire car but had to claim SOME responsibility towards buying it. Our thought was that they were both athletes and involved in other things too and we preferred that they dedicate themselves to studying etc. rather than require them to work to keep up the ‘expense’ of the car. Their first cars were the crappy $500 Bonneville, etc. Now their SECOND cars were a different story and they paid the bulk of them off. Kids have their whole life to be responsible for financial things. We think that a bit of help from mom & dad, in our case, was ok. They appreciated it and are/were very thankful and didnt take it for granted.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 10:46 AM
Cars at 16 here, for basically the same reasons you mentioned. And yes, I’ll be one of those moms who will be happy when Madison turns 16 so I don’t have to run her everywhere all the time. She will have limits on where she can go and when, but it will definitely help. She’s already counting the days until she can get her learner’s permit.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 10:49 AM
Yes, cars at sixteen in Indiana. My dad bought the car for me and my twin sister to share. In 1980 we got a 1976 Pacer. Dad paid the insurance, but at sixteen we got a job and had to buy our gas and once we got a job we paid for our clothes and misc stuff we wanted.
My now, as of today, twenty-one year old son got a car at sixteen that he had paid for himself a few months before he got his driver’s license. He has since paid for two other vehicles…one being almost new. He had to buy his gas and insurance (boys insurance is twice as high as girls). His first vehicle was paid for mainly by hauling hay in the summer and working odd jobs. We live in a rural town in Tennessee and him having a vehicle at sixteen was very helpful to us.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 11:02 AM
WHY do you feel the need to justify yourself? Anyway, when I turned 16 my parents provided a car for me to use. It was not “mine” and I had to share it/work out a schedule with my sisters. I rode the bus to school and walked home (~2 miles) or mooched a ride if I had extra curriculars until my senior year of high school = builds character!!
February 19th, 2010 saat: 11:26 AM
I’m from a small town with no public transportation. We do have bus service for the public school system but of course, that just handles to and from school for normal hours. If you have to go early or stay late for any extracurricular activities, you are on your own. Like your town, it’s pretty common (although not automatic) that kids get cars of their own when they can drive. Our state has a new law that you have to have your learner’s permit for 6 months before sitting for your driving test and you can’t get your permit until you are 16 so that has pushed back the age for kids getting cars but most still have them. Like you, I think my parents were thrilled when we could drive ourselves and it lessened the burden on them to get us places. I think a driving contract is a great idea. A 17 year old was killed in our town on Tuesday afternoon following a violent car crash. Thankfully, her passengers were okay but such a horrible trauma for her family and friends. It’s just a reminder of how careful we all must be.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 11:28 AM
In North Dakota you get your license at 14. Joshua has his! He took Driver’s Ed between 8th and 9th grades during the summer. He took his permit test the day he turned 14 and then had to wait 6 months to get his license. So he has been driving since November…he doesn’t have his “own” car – he uses my car or drives our suburban. I’m not sure that I’m ready for him to have his “own” car. I love the fact that he can drive himself or his siblings to and from town for sporting events/practices but I’m too much of a control freak to let him have his “own” car! LOL. He is very responsible and very trustworthy…I’m not soo sure that he younger brother who is now 13 will be getting his license as young as he is just not as responsible.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 11:34 AM
I live in Grinnell Iowa and most everyone has a car…if not at 15 definitely at 16. My daughter completed drivers education last summer at the age of 15 (she had her permit for a year before she was eligible for drivers ed because of the birthday cutoff) and got her school permit as soon as she received her certificate of completion. We live across town from the high school so she was not able to walk the 3 miles to and from school. We do have buses that run in town, but how uncool is that. She is a four sport athlete and I must say it was great not having to run her back and forth since I also have an 8th grader at the middle school which is also a over a mile from home. She drives a 1998 Oldsmobile Acheiva that we purchased for her from my brother. She named him Archie! We did not make her pay for her car or insurance or gas because she is in athetics year round and is a great student. My struggle right now is that my son will turn 14 on March 3 and is eligible for drivers ed this summer. That means he will have had only 3 months of driving experience (that is if he passes the first time!), before he would start drivers ed. So this means he could be out on the road by himself at the age of 14 if he passes drivers ed which according to my daughter isn’t hard. That my dear is scarey. I think waiting another year for him to take drivers ed is the best option…now I just have to convince his dad, him, and his sister of this. Of course she doesn’t want to have to take her little brother to school with her….how lame would that be! Courious as to your thoughts on my drivers ed dilemma!
February 19th, 2010 saat: 11:49 AM
I lived in a city that bussed and had public transportation so even though my HS was about 20-25 minutes away I took a bus in some form. I also walked a ton. Once I turned 17 and got my license I shared a car with my grandmother. The arrangement was I could use the car anytime she didn’t need it and I would chauffeur her anytime she wanted me to. I paid for the insurance and gas with money I earned at my part time job and we shared the cost of repairs. This was 1987 and the car was an ’84 Chrysler Lebaron that was my grandfathers. He passed away soon after buying the car and it sat untouched until we, grandma and I, got our license around the same time. She was a terrible terrible driver so chauffeuring her was preferred by all. I ran errands for her and my parents, drove her and her friends around, picked up my sister, etc. But I had a car so it was worth the extra work. Most kids I knew did not get a car at 16/17. When they did it was usually a hand me down from a relative that they had to buy (no freebies) or a very old used beat up car they bought themselves. The Lebaron was then passed on to my sister and then onto other family members. It lasted a long long time and got us both through college. Sadly the car was a lemon and cost us thousands in repairs over the years. Much of my measly HS and college part time job paychecks went in to that car but the freedom was worth every penny.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 11:50 AM
p.s. I’d love to see the cell phone and car contracts!
February 19th, 2010 saat: 12:42 PM
I’m 20 and still don’t have a car :( My parent car is always there for me to use, so it’s not an issue. But when i was 16 I was so sad that I didn’t get a car and EVERYONE else did (it seemed like it, but they didn’t). So anyways, I think it’s up to you and your hubby. It seems like you guys would do it very responsibly and controlled (so the kids don’t go crazy with the car).
February 19th, 2010 saat: 1:20 PM
My sister too lives in a ruralish area, so many of the kids around her house drive early. I can’t believe my nephew will be driving soon, out of neccesity for their family. It’s a bit intimidating to think. Though, I guess I’d rather drive down the road with my responisible, cautious teenager nephew than an idiot adult any day!
February 19th, 2010 saat: 1:36 PM
I was given a hand-me-down car when I was 16. It was a Lexus with about 200,000 miles on it. I did chores, but didn’t get an allowance for them and my parents believed that going to school and getting good grades was my job (I was a straight A+ student who did a million activities) so they thought it was fair to give me a car. It was also important for them that I have a safe car with air bags and all the important safety features which you cannot always get on a low cost car. Also, I think my mom was really excited about not having to drive me everywhere. :-)
I know I sound spoiled rotten, but I worked hard for my car. I just did not earn the money to pay for it. Does that make sense?
Personally, I think a lot depends on the individual kid, but then doesn’t everything?
February 19th, 2010 saat: 2:16 PM
Kristie,
You think. A lot. Car at 16? Yes, if they are good kids and you can trust them, and afford it. The end. ;)
February 19th, 2010 saat: 2:22 PM
Because I commented before, I’ll throw this out here too . . . I think I was 17 when I got my first car. I can’t remember. I might have still been 16, but I didn’t have it as soon as I got my license. My first car (also a ’73) was a Super Beetle for $900. I had to buy it out of some inheritance $ saved for me by a relative. We decided to do that b/c I didn’t quite have enough saved to get it myself yet, and our next door neighbor put it up for sale. It was the perfect car for me. Mainly it was agreed I needed the car b/c I was working and had swim practices before and after school. Where I grew up that meant I was leaving in the dark and coming home in the dark most of the year. Not ideal for walking – especially in the winter. Also, my dad was gone most of the time when I was in high school, so my mom worked a lot and needed me to be independent. She paid the insurance, but I paid for everything else.
I would say most all of my friends got an old car (very, very few new) somewhere around the age of 16-17. Many were handed down from parents or shared with a sibling. If you were a boy, it was very likely a car you had been fixing for a year or two.
My kids? Living in Atlanta? Will NOT be driving or getting a car at 16. Maybe I’ll let them drive to church, school stuff, and the grocery store with me – all of which is within a 5 mile radius. Maybe. Thankfully I have another few years before I have to think about that.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 3:02 PM
I grew up in OKC and as the oldest of 3 girls, I agree that my parents were impatiently waiting for me to turn 16. That very day, daddy took me to get my license and turned over the keys to my car. (In 1976, I got a 1970 Hornet – lemon yellow) I then had to drive myself to band rehearsal every morning and take my sister to the local middle school.
I had specific rules to follow and if I broke the rules, I would lose my driving privileges. (I was too scared to break the rules……) I totally remember Oklahoma winters, driving on ice for the first time, and I’m glad I had an old beater of a car to begin with.
I must confess, that my freshman year in college, I got a new car from my parents. Part of that was they moved to Amarillo, TX and didn’t want me driving from Stillwater, OK to Amarillo, TX in the old car…..I didn’t care about the reason. I was just happy to have a NEW car.
Good luck with your kids!! Life gets more exciting as they become teenagers.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 3:23 PM
Yes, cars at 16 here in KY. My daughters dad bought her a 1996 truck in 2009 and I pay her insurance while she is in high school. She will be working to pay for college this year and will then be responsible for insurance. She got her license mainly for convenience of getting to and from after school activities and to help me on occasion by picking her brother up from preschool, plus she now drives to her dad’s (2 hrs away) and he pays for her gas for that and to school.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 3:23 PM
Funny, I’m living this delimma as we speak. My 15.5 year old already has some saved and has taken his driver’s ed classes and honestly, I can’t wait until we don’t have to drive him the 15 minutes each way every day. As it stands now we have two kids in two different schools so we each take and pick one up from their respective schools. Although we could bus the one who’s school is 15 minutes away but it would require him being bussed to a school ten minutes further and then bussed to his school. He would have to leave the house more than an hour before he does and he couldn’t be bussed home (sports). Of course I worry about him driving and we’ve talked and talked about responsibility and we’re giving him plenty of driving practice (he has his learner’s permit) so we’ll see!
February 19th, 2010 saat: 3:26 PM
I live here in Oklahoma too, and most kids get cars on or before their 16th birthdays. I turned 16 in 2001, and my parents, and two sets of grandparents all contributed to buy me a 1990 Ford Thunderbird. It cost $3,995.00, it was bright red, and the aftermarket CD player was broken. They bought it for me 23 days before my birthday, and for those 23 days I drove my mom everywhere in my car, haha. I got to take my driving test on my actual birthday, I passed with a 98, and from there I was set free. I went back to school, took my friends to lunch, and after school I took a friend home who lived in the country, and got my car stuck in the mud for the first time. Her dad had to come home and wench me out, lol… Oh memories. My parents paid for my insurance, and my step-dad owned a gas station and I was allowed one free tank of gas every two weeks.
That being said, I think that kids should get a car when they’re 16, as long as they’re a good, responsible driver. I can’t tell you how many mornings I have almost been hit by a teenage driver while taking my son to school. These are the kids who don’t need cars. I think you’re doing a great thing by making your kids save up for their cars. I didn’t have to pay a dime for mine, and let me tell you, I tore that Thunderbird up. It didn’t make it 6 months before I blew a head gasket and messed up something else, which was a $1,000 repair. My grandparents paid for that, too. I was a little spoiled, but nothing compared to some of the kids who came to school on their 16th birthdays driving Mustangs and Camaros with a paper tag.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 3:47 PM
My mom bought my brother a car when he was 16 and two years later I didn’t get a car. It used to drive me crazy that he got a car and I didn’t. He is now almost 39 and doesn’t have a car, job or a place to live. I now drive a dodge caravan and he walks.
I have nephews that got a car at 16 and they have done great. I guess it all depends on the kid. I’m sure your kids will be ready, you are an amazing mom and Blaine is a great dad.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 3:48 PM
Living about 80 miles down the toll road from you, things are pretty much the same. I had friends and a boyfriend my sophmore year and no real need for a car when I turned 16. So, it wasn’t until that summer that I actually took my road test and was given my grandma’s old ’84 Skylark to drive…it was poop brown, had no a/c, a tempermental radio, and the second day I drove it to school, the drug dog sniffed it out…of course they never found anything (wasn’t anything to find)…oh and when I slid on ice into the back of a jeep, the front end had to be replaced so then I had a two tone poop brown and powder blue car. But man did that thing pick up some speed!
February 19th, 2010 saat: 3:52 PM
My high school experience sounds a lot like yours – no bus, I lived 7 miles from the school, I was a cheerleader & on the debate team, open campus for lunch, etc. About a month after I turned 16 my parents bought a “3rd” car. I wasn’t allowed to call it mine, I had to hand the keys in for it every night & I had to ask to use it every morning. It was there for all the practical reasons of schlepping myself around, but they could always threaten to take it away if I misbehaved. Sigh. In retrospect it was a good idea, at the time however it stung something fierce!
February 19th, 2010 saat: 3:54 PM
Here in NY state, you can get a learner’s permit at 16, but you have to put in hundreds of hours of driving time & take a 5 hour class (or weeks long Drivers Ed class) before you can take the test to get a license. So while some kids may have access to cars at 16, the earliest you can drive alone is 16.5 yrs – and then even later if you want to drive someone unrelated to you, or if you want to drive past sundown. All very complicated and lengthy.
That said, my kids were given access to a car (shared) when they got their licenses provided they maintained a certain grade average and an after school job. We pay for gas, insurance, maintenance, etc as long as they are in school. They currently share a 1993 Dodge Caravan. Not a sports car, but it gets them places.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 3:58 PM
There are newer laws here in North Carolina that require young drivers to have a lower level of a license (for instance, you can’t drive after 9 p.m. until you’ve had a license for 6 months, I believe.) When I turned 16, though, I was in no rush to get a license, much less a car. I knew I would be responsible for paying for the car plus insurance. I played sports, my brother was in band, and we had friends and family who could transport us (friend’s parents would often take turns dropping off/picking up kids too.) We’re not very far from the school, either.
In fact, I was 19 when I finally got my license and bought my first car. My brother was 18 when he got his (he’s three years younger than me.) And you know, out of all of our friends, we were the only ones who weren’t in fender benders or any accidents caused by us. (I’ve since been in two accidents, but neither was my fault.)
My husband, on the other hand, got his license when he turned 16 and totaled his first car within a week or so of having it. He was in several accidents when he was a teenager. And it wasn’t until a few years ago that his insurance premium finally went down.
I think if the teenager is responsible, then a driver’s license is fine. I didn’t care either way when I was a teen (and I think I needed to be at least 17 or 18 to be responsible enough.) I’m glad now that my mom made me pay for everything myself. It made me appreciate it a lot more.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 4:14 PM
No. Not for my 2 boys. They are now 21 and 25. I am a single mom and we did just fine with one car. I couldn’t swing it financially and truthfully, it kept us all connected during those teenage years, as we worked out who had the car and when and there there had to be a lot of cooperation among us. A very good thing these days I think. It definately had its benefits :)
When my oldest graduated college his dad gave him the downpayment for his first car(new) and now he is working and covers his monthly payments and insurance. My second son will be a senior in college next year and when he graduates, he will get the same from his dad to get him going.
As for those around us, yes, many got cars at 16, we just weren’t one of them. And that was OK. In fact, it was great!
February 19th, 2010 saat: 4:44 PM
My parentals supplied a car for me when I turned 16. We lived 30 miles from the Christian school & the bus driver was moving, so the bus was going away. I was responsible for driving 7 kids to & from school each day… and every winter we ended up in the ditch at least once!
My boy is 16 & we provided him a 1990 pickup (yes, it’s 2010). It’s manual transmission (everyone should know how to drive one) & push button start. He has a job & he pays $50/mo for insurance & most of his own gas (mom helps once in awhile).
We had a talk recently about how if he put $200/payday in his savings account, in a year he could have $4800 & we could shop for a better vehicle (altho’ he LOVES that little pickup!!)
February 19th, 2010 saat: 4:50 PM
No car at 16. And, because of insurance regulations, I couldn’t even drive my parents car. I didn’t really become a driver until I was 20 years old and engaged, even though I got my license at 16. My (then) fiance let me drive his car! I didn’t get a car of my own until I was 25 years old and I had a newborn baby! Chicago suburbs by the way. I walked the mile and a half to work and school. My mom would give a ride if available, but most often not. There were buses, but they only would save a block or two can cost a buck and a half.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 5:01 PM
My son is 16 and has had a car since day 1. We provide cars and insurance for our children as long as they are making good grades and do not have any wrecks or tickets(and can take the car away when they are not). This car was a hand-me-down from my late FIL. And while it is a BMW (aka “The Beamer”) and he thought it would automatically up his status, it is a true clunker. At almost 20 years old, it is losing a transmission (he skips 3rd gear when shifting), leaks oil on the drive way and has broken down on him many times in his few months of driving. Although the kids are able to be bussed, it gets him to school, provides a ride home for his two younger sisters and saves me countless trips to the store. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have him on the road!
We have had one (out of 3 so far) that has had to provide her own car, insurance and gas. She didn’t drive until she was out of high school. She has learned the hard way and I think the others have learned from her mistakes how much harder it is to get a car on your own. And, the boys have learned that getting to drive immediately also ups the responsibility level.
Positives all the way around for us having 16-yr olds on the road. So far…
February 19th, 2010 saat: 5:58 PM
My kids aren’t driving yet, but we are saving one of our cars for our son when he turns 16. The one thing he will have to do is pay us the money to cover the insurance deductable before he can ever drive. We will keep this in a saving account to be used if ever needed and it is a guarantee that the car will be fixed if damaged and he can’t say, “I don’t have the money.” He will also be responsible for paying for at least some of his insurance. He is active in sports, so I don’t think he will have time to have a regular job. It will be nice to stop being the taxi all the time. I don’t agree that a new driver should be given a brand new car when they turn 16. They need to have some sort of investment in the vehicle.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 6:21 PM
Central Illinois…my sons (now 30′ish) all had cars when they hit 16. However, they paid for the car themselves, as well as the insurance. I fronted them gas money when I had it, which wasn’t all that often as a single parent. They learned to fix the cars and do routine maintenance on them, like oil changes. Saved them $$$ and they should have those skills anyway. (Girls too!)
I wanted them to pay the insurance, which was covered under my policy, simply so they had a good idea of how much a speeding ticket or a similar infraction was going to dig a deeper hole in their pockets. Two of them were really good about this, the 3rd one, not so much. But he learned his lessons early. They understood that Mom couldn’t really take their keys away if they proved themselves to be irreponsible, (their car, title in each boy’s name) but I wasn’t beyond calling the insurance company and cancelling their coverage. (Illinois is a mandatory vehicle insurance state.)
‘Sides, I was so relieved to get out of the chauffering business, I was only too happy to get them to the DMV on the morning of their 16th birthday and wait for the place to open up.
They were good boys, I had been consistent in discipline and they knew right from wrong. Had they not proven themselves responsible long before that 16th birthday, the car thing never would have happened.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 6:42 PM
Well, it is so funny that you brought up this topic, this week. I had my liscense within ten days of turning 16. I took my learners the day I turned sixteen and you had to wait at least a week to drive, so the soonest I could drive was ten days later, then all done. Kids now in WV can get a learner’s permit at age 15. My daughter turned 15 in Jan of 2009 and got her learners in February last year. We used to take her and two of her girlfriends out into the “country” just about every weekend (at night so they could see headlights) to let them practice driving. This started from the time they were late thirteen year olds until THEY GOT THEIR LEARNERS PERMITS!!!! Most kids could care less about driving. Caitlin says that I make her too nervous to drive with me, but I think she is just too lazy to pay attention and put in the effort that driving requires. She turned sixteen on January 17th. We had no intention of buying her a car – she doesn’t drive now. She needs a car, she needs to drive. She is very involved in FFA activities at school and other things and her being able to drive her and her brother would help mostly me and her dad out a whole lot. We bought her an i-phone for her birthday since she didn’t want a party or anything – and no car – so we wanted to do something “big” for her milestone birthday. Then two weeks later we got a phone call that someone was selling a 2000 chevy cavalier for $800.00. We bought it and had to wait a few weeks for the owner to clean her stuff out of it and get a replacement title. So in the meantime we started teasing Caitlin about giving her phone to her dad if we got her a car. She thought about it and after a few days said that she would if the car was nice and blah blah blah. We had another snow day on Tuesday which gave the four of us a chance to go pick up her “surprise”. She was so excited and will have to learn to drive it because it is a stick shift. Without us going to the effort, she may have never been motivated to drive. Her Dad and I need this!!! ha ha ha. She is expected to get a summer job and be responsible with the car. We have 2 other cars, a truck, and a motorcycle, so it isn’t as if she wouldn’t have had something to drive if she did get her liscense. Now I just don’t have to worry about her driving my car – whew! Her other friends that have already turned 16 havent’ got their liscenses either, and no cars for them. One kid did get a hummer for his 15th birthday, but who can top that? Or would want to?
So there another of my life stories – sorry you asked? lol
kimybeee
February 19th, 2010 saat: 6:48 PM
I would like a copy of that contract as well! kimybeee@suddenlink.net.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 6:56 PM
When I got my license, I was occasionally permitted to use one of the family cars, but only after a lecture each and every time I was handed the keys. The folks became a little more leniant as I attended the local branch of a major college. Six months after graduation I got married and hubby and I shared his car.
Our sons each have their own car. Our 22 year old saved his money (he’s a tightwad, so that was easy) and bought a used car before his senior year in high school. Our 19 year old was very fortunate, as my folks gave him one of their old cars when they got a new one. They had given our older son some money to only be used toward a car, and the amount they gave him was actually a little more than the Blue Book value of the car they gave our younger son.
They have been very responsible with their cars, using them for work and school. They are responsible for gas money and general maintenance. We consider paying for repairs on a case by case basis. As far as insurance, we are happy to pay their insurance, as long as they maintain a 3.0 GPA and qualify for the good student discount. They each learned the importance of this ONE time when they didn’t make the 3.0 and had to fork over several hundred dollars to pay for 3 months of car insurance.
Our younger son actually put off taking his driver’s test for a while, until I gave him a cut-off date for taking him to work. I told him that if he didn’t have his license by a certain date, he’d better wipe the dust off his bicycle, because that would be his mode of transportation. He got his license the day before the cut-off.
It’s a matter of convenience for us, more than fun for them.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 7:18 PM
I have never commented on your site before, but read it quite often.
I started driving at age 15 with a “school permit”. In Nebraska, I could’ve driven at age 14 because I lived outside the city limits and greater than one mile from school. Before I turned 15, my dad had to drive me 15 minutes to school every day and leave the house 30 minutes earlier than he would’ve for work. Because I played competitive varsity sports as a freshman, I relied on juniors and seniors for rides home everyday. My cousins live in rural Nebraska and all started driving on the farm around age 10-12 then got school permits at age 14.
I think if a 16 year old is responsible, takes driver’s ed, they should be able to drive, even if it’s only to school and back.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 7:21 PM
Living in the suburban NYC metro area, cars in the hands of 16 year olds are a bad, bad idea. The traffic is too heavy, the roadways too congested – putting unaccompanied young drivers into the mix is a bad, bad idea.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 8:55 PM
Getting a car at age 16 is fairly common here (South Georgia). I got a brand new car a few months before my 16th birthday. All of my friends got cars too (although not all brand new!). I actually don’t know if I could name one person that didn’t get a car once they were old enough to drive. That was 20 yrs ago though. I’m sure it’s different now with the economy being not so great.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 8:58 PM
Stacey, LOVE the idea of having the new driver put the amount of the insurance deductible in savings before they even start. When I read that, I vaguely remembered hearing it somewhere else ….. thanks for the reminder. We obviously have several years to go, but that is one thing I definitely want to do. Kristie
February 19th, 2010 saat: 9:00 PM
Interesting – I’m from the other side. I always knew there were people who got cars at 16, but I sure as heck didn’t know any of them. I grew up in an urban area with decent mass transit, and the expectation was that I would ride the bus. For evening extracurricular actitvies, we had a system of a rotating carpool, where we would borrow our parents’ cars for the evening and drive everyone else.
I didn’t really mind not getting a car, because none of my friends had one either. In fact, I’m in my mid-twenties now, and I still have never owned a car. I imagine that will change at some point (if I live in a place without good public transit, am required to have one for work, etc.), but it works for my lifestyle at the moment, and is good for the environment and the wallet as well :)
February 19th, 2010 saat: 9:27 PM
I live in Lincoln, NE and yes I had a 1980 Volkswagon Rabbit at 16. And there was no air conditing nor power steering. Also, in the winter the driver’s side lock would sometimes freeze and the passenger lock didn’t work, so I would have to climb in through the hatchback. But with a steal bumper, my friend and I played bumper cars with his Horizon. Good times!
My parents both worked and my brothers were out of school. And with swim team, there was usually no way to tell exactly when practice would be over. They didn’t want me standing in the freezing cold waiting for them. My parents paid for the car, but when I wasn’t in swimming I had to have a job and keep up good grades. I also had to pay for everything relating to the car including gas, upkeep, licensing and insurance. My parents had me on their policy but I paid my share.
And while my kids are only 5 & 1, I can say they most likely will have cars as well. Unless they change the age to 18 (a girl can hope, right?!) But without busing, we’ve got the same problem.
February 19th, 2010 saat: 9:31 PM
No car at 16 here in eastern Canada. I got my first car a few months ago, which was not planned, but my grandpa died and I got his new car… I’m 23. In high school, I only had one friend who had a car (even now, most of my friends don’t own one). We used to live 20 minutes from town and my parents were happy to drive us wherever/whenever we wanted (3, sometimes 4, times a week for me at gymnastics, 3 times a week for my older sister’s synchronized swimming, Sunday morning horseback riding for my lil sister). My parents didnt have the money to buy 5 cars (we’re 5 kids!), nor did we, as kids, had the money to buy one (let alone pay for the gas and the insurance, the maintenance…). My parents have 2 cars so we had always one available though (and we didn’t pay for the gas hehe!) :)
So car at 16? Not the usual here!
February 19th, 2010 saat: 10:38 PM
This is so interesting and entertaining! I bet you had no idea the can of worms you were opening…
February 19th, 2010 saat: 11:31 PM
Cars scare me more than any other rite of passage. Most of the other mistakes in life are not so deadly so quickly. Yeah, they make their mistakes and get you mad, frustrated, humiliated, cost you money. But they are young and there is still time to change things. With a car, one instant of carelessness can mean death or extreme injury to self and/or others. Also, any problems with a bunch of kids in a car, the driver gets the brunt of the blame. Can mean hefty insurance premiums.
A car becomes an entitlement once they get one. Even if you pay the insurance, have a contract, have conditions. Few things if anything (other than a significant other) become as important as a car to a teen, and it’s hard if not impossible to turn back the clock. Kids often go a bit nuts in their teens and young adulthood. With a car, that can be deadly.
I sent my older kids to schools where nearly everyone had cars as soon as they could legally drive. The stats for accidents and insurance premiums and vehicle related incidents are not good around here. Check with your local police what the numbers look like for high school kids and cars are in your area. Statistically, the mortality and morbidity numbers dip drastically, the later a kid starts to drive during those tough first years of being an inexperienced driver.
Another issue is the drinking and drugs. The cops around here are cracking down on drinking in particular, far harder than in my day. DUI, DWI are big deal things that cause a lot of grief in families even when there is no accident.
In the end, it comes down to the kid. But even though my younger ones are far more mature and responsible than their older brothers at the same age, I am slowing down the driving privilege process after my experiences with the older guys. We’re still paying for those lessons.
February 20th, 2010 saat: 12:42 AM
Wow, this is taking me baccccck! LOL
I started driving at 17…my own fault, too lazy to go take the test. My parents gave me the first car they had bought when we moved back to Canada from England in 1979. A blue hatchback ’80 Citation, it moved pretty good :-) (Many years later it was t-boned while being driven by my sister…low speed, she was fine, car was not….then given to the boy down the road, whose father had a car repair shop and I assume, eventually fixed well enough to run again, although our insurance adjuster wrote it off!) Being given a car was a necessity in our case, we lived in the country, but my high school was all the way downtown. There was no bussing, so someone had to drive me and it wasn’t going so well with the neighbouring acreage boys!! (I am lucky I survived their insane driving antics!!) Most of the other country kids did get cars at an early age, again, I think mostly out of necessity. For city kids, like my boyfriend, it seemed to be much more unlikely. He saved every penny to buy is old Ford truck and he certainly took much better care of it as well. ;-)
February 20th, 2010 saat: 12:58 AM
I got my learner’s permit at 15 and got my driver’s license at 16. However, I didn’t get a car until I was 19, right after my first semester of college. I payed for my car and the title is in my name, but my parents pay my insurance, gas, etc. I go to school two hours from home, so it takes a huge chunk of time for my parents to pick me up and take me back, just for a weekend. Also, all students are required to live on campus their freshman year, but after that there isn’t enough room on campus, so most students end up living in an apartment off campus and thus have to commute to campus everyday.
I have been in three fender-benders. Two were not my fault, but one was. Each time I was responsible for getting a copy of the police report, filing insurance claims, dealing with insurance companies, and getting the car to and from the repair shop. Thankfully my parents were very understanding with the accident that was my fault. I was not being irresponsible…simply driving to campus in heavy traffic. Truthfully, while dealing with all the insurance stuff is a pain, I learned a lot, and know that I will be able to take care of it if/when the situation arises in the future.
February 20th, 2010 saat: 2:57 AM
My oldest turned 16 last August. She got her permit at 15.5 and went through drivers training in the summer. She had her own car from the time she got her temps. Her dad is a mechanic and picked up a Saturn for dirt cheap. We pay her gas and insurance, and she keeps her grades up. She also knows that she has to be a taxi sometimes for her younger siblings. So far, she’s followed the rules and realizes that driving is a privlege. I think it totally depends on the kid. In her group of friends, it’s pretty equal that half have their own cars and half dont. We live in the suburbs in Ohio. I love the fact that I can send her to the store for me or to run errands sometimes! It has definitely made my life easier!!
February 20th, 2010 saat: 5:50 AM
My first car sounds similar to everyone elses – it was 1988 and my dad bought me a 1976 Chevy Malibu Classic for $200. It was huge – 17 feet, 9 inches long (yes, I am a dork and measured it…), and according to my dad, “If you get in an accident, the other driver and car may be screwed, but your car is so big you probably won’t even feel the impact.” I don’t know which was worse – my big-ass ugly car or the fact that my dad apparently had no compassion for anyone else on the road.
My twins were micro-preemies, so my husband and I kept them home from kindergarten an extra year, so they started school more on track with their ‘corrected’ age. Because of that, and their birthday being in December, my son figured out that they will turn 16 their freshman year of high school. My dilemma is, while it seems fair to me to let them have a car at 16, do I really want a FRESHMAN driving around? That just seems wrong!
(Girl in New Jersey (comment #1): Wow! What a law! Until they are 21 no passengers? What if they get married earlier than that and have a child? Can you imagine not being able to have your spouse in the car with you? I wonder if they have exceptions to the rule…)
February 20th, 2010 saat: 9:17 AM
Chris, that situation has arisen here as well …. kids who have been held back in school, turning 16 when they are freshmen. 16 is 16, on the one hand, but on the other hand, I didn’t turn 16 until I was a junior (the birthday “rule” was different back then so I started school at 4) and I can’t imagine a freshmen driving. And you’re right, I didn’t think about being married before age 21 (although I was) and not being able to have your spouse in the car. That reminds me of being annoyed that I was married at 20, but not old enough to go in a bar, or buy myself a beer, despite being married. Funny how the laws have such different perspectives, in different situations! Kristie
February 20th, 2010 saat: 9:38 AM
In Massachusetts it seems to be about 50/50 and of the 50% who have cars at all, probably 1/3 are actually new or newish cars. For us, my dad always seemed to have an “extra” car hanging around. It was “HIS” but we were able to use it to get to school and home and whatever else we asked and got approval for. The “extra” car when I got my license in 1993 was a 1973 bright orange volkswagon bug that was an automatic standard. (You had to shift, but there was no clutch) weird huh? Anyway, with 3 kids, I am pretty sure at least the oldest in my house would have a car at least to use to haul the other 2 around. A mom can only be a chaueffer for so long!
February 20th, 2010 saat: 11:55 AM
I live in a very small town in Georgia and when I turned 16 I was told that I had to buy my first car, that my parents wouldn’t buy me a car and hand it over, but would help me. Yeah right!! I got a job the day I turned 16 at Wal-Mart. I wanted to work and also needed to work. I have always been extremely responsible so the issue was more or less money to get the car from my parents but they also wanted to teach me the value of money. My dad was a mechanic so he looked around for me while I was saving for a car. I bought my first car after working about 2-3 months for $500. It was a true clunker, but it was mine. I was allowed to borrow my mom’s car to get back and forth to work only while I was saving the money. The top of the Wal-Mart parking lot was the “hang out” for the teenagers in my town. They all congregated there. I was so embarrassed by my mom’s car that I parked 2 blocks from WalMart and walked so they wouldn’t see what I was driving :-( Anyways, when I saved up the $500 for the car, it drank more oil than gas and wouldn’t even go in reverse most of the time, but dangit it had a SUNROOF!! I “looked” cool so who cares. I was able to trade it in for a much better $2000 car several months later, but it taught me a very valuable lesson in responsibility. I paid all my insurance and gas. My parents were not mean, they just simply couldn’t afford it. I was no worse for the wear. My step-daughter is 18 and didn’t get her license until she was 17, but her grandmother (my MIL) without our permission bought her a 2008 very nice sports car. She was told she had to get a job and keep gas and then pay for her ins. the second six months. She is graduating in June and still doesn’t have a job. She has not worked at all and doesn’t have to pay for any of the upkeep on the car. It hasn’t taught her much, but I am not bitter, really!! :-)
I personally think the car should be parked until she does get a job, but she does keep decent grades and the economy is so that it is really hard to get a job right now for her age. Times are different I think than when I went to high school, but I don’t blame anyone for making kids earn some or all of the money. It just is smart to me. Somehow we have to get away from kids being “entitled”. Good discussion Kristie!!
February 20th, 2010 saat: 12:37 PM
I grew up in Southern Iowa where the majority of the students lived “on the farm”. We could actually get “school permits” to drive to & from school at the age of 14! My parents were SO grateful for me to get a car by that time, that yes, I drove a car to & from school with some of the closer neighbor kids starting at the age of 14. I drove a 1972 VW bug (this was 1988) for several years – and then “moved up” to a 1983 Chevette (referred to as the ‘Vette) when the Bug died.
My kids (who are currently 5) are twins. I think we’ll aim for them to share a car. We live about 4 miles from the high school we hope to enroll them in (our school district, but not our actual high school which is physically further away). I’ll let them drive as long as road conditions are good – and I feel like they are responsible.
February 20th, 2010 saat: 12:40 PM
Just to add – I turned 14 in December, but I didn’t get the greenlight to drive back and forth to school until the following April (when softball practice started). And, it was the April that I was in 8th grade (we played with the high school softball team).
February 20th, 2010 saat: 3:07 PM
I did not have my own car at 16, but I did have a car of my parents that was always there for me. I did not drive to school until my senior year because my birthday was in October. I did not have a parking spot at the school, but I had a neighbor who drove me to school most days.
As for my kids, the oldest is in Kindergarten and the youngest is still waiting to meet the world. I have no idea what we will do with them. The laws have changed so much in the last 10 years, I don’t know what they will even look like when my first turns 16. But, I imagine we will have a car available for all of our kids, so they can get themselves places.
February 20th, 2010 saat: 7:56 PM
I’m 30 and don’t own a car. Luckily, I only work a mile from home, enjoy walking, and can take the bus when there’s several feet of snow on the ground.
Didn’t purchase a car at 16 when I got my license (and there were no restrictions at all in Minnesota in the mid-90′s for newly licensed drivers). I had a part-time job (which I biked to) and a savings account, but the money was for college. During winter, I either borrowed my parents’ cars, or mooched rides from friends with more indulgent parents (and there were several, but it definitely wasn’t a given that newly licensed driver’s would own a personal vehicle–most of us didn’t).
February 20th, 2010 saat: 7:59 PM
I too would like a copy of the driving and a cell phone contract; CDLFG@cox.net
My car will be 10 when our daughter turns 16 so our plan is to have her use that. At first she was horrified but has come to understand why she doesn’t get a new car. In this day and age, it’s harder to work, be in activities and get all the school work done than when I grew up so we do plan to let her use my old car. We’ll pay insurance for sure since that is not negotiable and is a must have item. The gas may be up to her. She’ll start working this summer but not be able to drive for 2 years. We are a smaller suburb of Omaha so she’ll be on a main road but not a highway or freeway. It’s a 4 mile drive to school so great practice. But, she’s already been warned if she doesn’t figure out how to be on time pretty soon, she won’t be driving to school because we won’t set her up to speed to be on time.
I’ve enjoyed this discussion and learned a lot. Thanks!
Hugs,
Connie F-G
February 20th, 2010 saat: 10:21 PM
My oldest daughter is 15 with 13 year old twin sisters right behind her. And our answer is a definite NO!! I read too many articles and see on the news teen deaths from careless driving. My kids are not even allowed to ride in the car with a teen driver. We have had that rule for qite a while and yes we have had to go pick them up from various places but thats okay.
February 20th, 2010 saat: 10:34 PM
Now that both kids are in college, we did give them nice cars when they turned 16 because we wanted safe cars for them. We live out in the country and I wanted to feel good about what they drove to school each day. They were both very active in school with their days usually having one of them headed to school around 6:45 and usually not home much befor 9:00pm. I worried a lot especially during our winter months with them on the road and still do with them at college. I guess that is the part of being “mom”! Before they could drive I felt like I was meeting myself coming and going. I give praise to their drivers education teachers as I feel they did a very good job with the amount of hours behind the wheel. Worth every penny spent because they never sassed back to the teacher like they do mom and dad! I hate the cell phone in the car but when they promise me they won’t use it I hope the don’t break a promise. I love the campaign that Oprah has going about the No Phone Zone in the car! But no matter what, mom’s never stop worrying!
February 20th, 2010 saat: 10:55 PM
Here in CA, the driving laws are rather complicated. You can take driver’s ed (the classroom portion – 30 hours) when you are 15, but you can’t get your permit until you are 15.5. You must have your permit at least 6 months, take at least 6 hours (3 two-hour lessons) behind the wheel lessons with a private certified driving school, have your parents verify that you have spent at least 50 hours driving with them, 10 of those at night before you can get your license – the minimum age is 16. Oh, and when you get your permit, you can’t drive home from the dmv with your parents – you are not allowed to drive until you have taken one professional behind the wheel lesson. Once you have your license, you are not allowed to drive passengers under the age of 20 unless there is a licensed drive over 25 with you (unless it is a sibling and is a necessity and the driver has a note from their parents, or unless you are married – lol), curfew is 11pm-5am. Whew. My son turned 16 last April and got his license in August. We did get him a car, a 2005 Pontiac Sunfire – looks very cool, but is only a 4 cylinder. We pay for everything, gas (well, he gets $40 every 2 weeks for gas, if he needs more, he pays), insurance, etc. He is a great student, and very active in school – drama, choir, volunteer work, etc, so he just doesn’t have time for a job.
February 21st, 2010 saat: 8:07 PM
No cars here for 16 year olds on Long Island. Too much traffic, extremely fast roads. And, unfortunately, a very good friend’s 18 year old daugher was killed due to driver inexperience a few years ago. The girl driving just misdjudged the speed of the on-coming car. Two 18 year old kids were killed in that accident. I’ve seen first hand what it has done to the family. They will be supervised in cars as long as I can do it. (I currently have a 13 and 11 year old) That being said, I grew up in PA and had my license on the day of my 16th birthday! My how things change once you’re in the parent role!!
February 22nd, 2010 saat: 8:39 AM
Our state (Florida) keeps talking about raising the driving age to 18, which I am dead-set against. In our area, if the kids don’t go to the local community college, a good number of them go to college somewhere else in the state.
Our son attends school 40 miles away, so he comes home every now and then for doctor appointments or just to hang with friends here. I’m grateful that he had 2 years of driving experience before he started tackling this commute, 2/3 of which is interstate driving. The point where they are going off on their own is not the time to be getting valuable time behind the wheel.
We passed a car down to our son when he was 16, which was an older car, and it was great when he was driving around town. Once he started driving back and forth to college, we bought him a new Mazda (not a fast one) because we wanted something more reliable. (His old car had the windshield crack because of the rust around it, and was in danger of collapsing and even body work wasn’t going to help, so we bit the bullet.)
February 22nd, 2010 saat: 8:50 AM
Debbie, I think that’s a very valid point. Having the legal driving age coincide with the time when many kids go off to college is probably not the best situation ever. I had never considered that, but think you’re exactly right. Although I lived in the dorms my freshman year, I still drove back and forth to work almost every day, about twenty miles each way, some of it interstate. I agree …. not the proper time to be “learning” to drive. Kristie
February 23rd, 2010 saat: 1:36 AM
I live in Fredericksburg Virginia where several times every year, a teenager driver is killed due to the winding roads, speed, and inexperience. One can get a license at age 16 and 3 months, but for the first six months, there are restrictions on the license and number of passengers permitted. This is not a big city nor a tiny town with a 25 mph speed limit. But the number of teens killed while driving is downright scary.
I do not mind being inconvenienced and picking up kids from athletic practices and activities. It is no problem to safely chauffeur my kids from their activities. They are in 10th and 12th grades.
The cost of gas and insurance is also high. We are saving for college, and the kids can figure out their own cars later.
I appreciate the small town you describe, but I also think that each child is different and some can handle the responsibility better than another child, which is also a factor.
Have you figured out the cost of a teenager with a car and insurance multiplied by three? We also do not want our kids to work excessive hours in high school. They are taking full loads of AP classes and each plays a Varsity sport; we would feel terrible if they worked at a fast food place 20 hours a week in order to pay for a car and gas.
That’s pretty much my take on it.
February 23rd, 2010 saat: 1:48 AM
A lot of accidents like these, and we usually know the child or the child’s friends:
http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2009/082009/08282009/490073/index_html
http://fredericksburg.com/News/Web/2008/102008/1023fauqueir/index_html
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/fredericksburg-va/T42EM0A2148GPBNQL
February 23rd, 2010 saat: 7:18 AM
Where I live now, I’d say most kids get cars at 16 if they and/or their families can afford them.
We are a rural county with only one high school, and kids can live anywhere from right next to the school to 20-30 miles away. The buses take hours to get all the kids home, and if you have before/after-school activities, you’re SOL for taking buses. And I can’t imagine having to lug all the paraphernalia that *I* had to have in high school with me on a bus every day, and I only lived about five miles from my high school (in another county).
A lot of kids get what part-time jobs are available and will buy themselves a used car. My husband did that, and so did most of his friends way back in the day. Some will inherit used cars from other family members. A handful get new cars from their parents.
But honestly, the only reason a kid will NOT get a car at 16 is if it is unaffordable…and that is often the case.
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