Automotive

CityNews - Fewer teens getting their driver's licence

  • Last Updated:
  • Mar 20th, 2018 11:31 am
Newbie
Oct 23, 2017
90 posts
118 upvotes

CityNews - Fewer teens getting their driver's licence



Good news?
45 replies
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Nov 4, 2008
7675 posts
10978 upvotes
Scarbs
More road for me
When given enough time, all threads on RFD can and will go off on a tangent.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jul 30, 2007
33237 posts
21166 upvotes
Toronto
With operating costs (insurance, maintenance, licensing, parking, gas, etc) are so high, most likely opt to go public transport, Uber, hitch ride from friends.
Penalty Box
Dec 27, 2013
8003 posts
4050 upvotes
Toronto
lordnikon wrote: Who cares
only down side is they will be shitty, millennial drivers when they are 30, thinking they own the road but can't drive.
Sr. Member
Apr 20, 2008
747 posts
975 upvotes
By then, there will be self driving cars. So nothing to worry there.
Deal Expert
Jan 15, 2006
21392 posts
23732 upvotes
Richmond Hill
They are spending their money on Starbucks and avocado toasts.
Deal Addict
Apr 5, 2017
1556 posts
1391 upvotes
Edmonton, AB
Operating costs are crazy.

$300/month payment
$300/month insurance (full coverage + new male driver, probably...)
$200/month gas

Misc items: washer fluid, snow brush, winter tires, car washing/cleaning/detailing supplies.

Cancel out the payment and get a "nice" (as in, ballin' on a budget beater) $5-10k vehicle. Still throwing out nearly 5 bills a month to operate it. As a new/teen driver.

Why do that...when you can have the latest greatest phone every two years at $2000+ per upgrade/contract. Phones/technology are even worse to throw money at. Not as bad as drugs. But social media/tech may as well be a drug the way people are glued to them...research is showing it's the same thing pretty much. Q_Q
Deal Expert
User avatar
Nov 15, 2004
21786 posts
4903 upvotes
Toronto
tehwegz wrote: Operating costs are crazy.

$300/month payment
$300/month insurance (full coverage + new male driver, probably...)
$200/month gas

Misc items: washer fluid, snow brush, winter tires, car washing/cleaning/detailing supplies.

Cancel out the payment and get a "nice" (as in, ballin' on a budget beater) $5-10k vehicle. Still throwing out nearly 5 bills a month to operate it. As a new/teen driver.

Why do that...when you can have the latest greatest phone every two years at $2000+ per upgrade/contract. Phones/technology are even worse to throw money at. Not as bad as drugs. But social media/tech may as well be a drug the way people are glued to them...research is showing it's the same thing pretty much. Q_Q
Don't forget the hour each way stuck in traffic surrounded by ***holes anytime you want to get anywhere. I gave up my car and moved into the city 8 years ago and I haven't regretted it once. I have more time, a lot more money, and I don't have to deal with parking, maintenance, tickets, or any of the other BS involved in owning a vehicle. The GTA is awful when it comes to driving and it's completely understandable why kids these days don't want to deal with it.
Sr. Member
Oct 2, 2017
850 posts
608 upvotes
no reason until they have kids
I'll see you at the top, cause the bottom is too crowded
Deal Addict
Jun 13, 2009
1209 posts
983 upvotes
Toronto
tehwegz wrote: Operating costs are crazy.

$300/month payment
$300/month insurance (full coverage + new male driver, probably...)
$200/month gas
Maybe $300/month for insurance if you live in a small town in ontario. If you live in the GTA, insurance for a new male driver is 500-700/mth. You won't hit 300/mth until 3-4 years with a clean driving record.

For that money, I would be a millenial driver who obeys all speed limits and traffic laws-which will win you a lot of road rage, making your driving experience even worse. I can't blame people for deferrng this expense if some form of public transit is available.
Deal Guru
Feb 9, 2006
13378 posts
8308 upvotes
Brampton
If you've seen the lines at service ontario and the test centres for licenses lately I wouldn't blame them.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
May 19, 2005
5042 posts
2739 upvotes
Earth
With Uber/Lyft and self driving cars on the horizon I can only see this trend continuing. Anyone born after 2010 have a real option to never learn to drive. Car operstion cost is very high for someone who just needs to get to work everyday.
Some people just don't get that online forum posts shouldn't always be taken seriously.


$99 10GB/month Can/US/Mexico, 1000 minutes, free evenings and weekend
Deal Guru
User avatar
Jul 12, 2003
12400 posts
4936 upvotes
Toronto
At the age of 16 to 18 year old, unless you need to go to work or school and where you live is not really public transit accessible. There is no reason why the a young of 16 or 18 years old should be driving.
When I go to College at 18 years old, I take 2-3 different buses and take about 75-90 minutes one way to get to where I need to be,
On my first job, I took 3 different buses to go to work that pay me minimum wages. (almost 20 years ago). When I was studying full time and not working, my parents give me a bus pass in Montreal and I go to places with it and I don't live in Core Montreal area, where the closest metro station is min 40 min one away on an Express bus.

I didn't buy my own car until I found a job myself and able to afford the expenses on my own.

A reason I can think of is the parent already have a nice car sitting at home and the teen is free to drive it out for for party. It happens a lot in my college years back then, even now whenever my neighbour's son is hosting a party, there are full of teens driving nice cars vrooming around the streets like a mini car meets.
Retired Forum Moderator February 2009 - June 2015
Deal Fanatic
Oct 25, 2003
9294 posts
415 upvotes
daivey wrote: only down side is they will be shitty, millennial drivers when they are 30, thinking they own the road but can't drive.
Not sure if you know what a millennial is, but they're already in their 20s and 30s.
Banned
User avatar
Nov 28, 2016
22791 posts
3321 upvotes
Out west
Big cities, I can see. This is not rural or small town teens. Getting a license at that age is almost a must, expecially if they work as well. Not owning a car sure, maybe drive the parents. But not having a license, never
Sr. Member
Feb 19, 2017
541 posts
396 upvotes
I can understand not owning a car - especially in a largish city - but not getting a license? How are they going to get out of the city or go for a longer road trip?

I just renewed my license - it's $90 for 5 years. Pretty much everyone should be able to afford that, and it's definitely worth having.
Deal Expert
Jun 30, 2006
21132 posts
9788 upvotes
Toronto
Everyone should get their license and get insurance as well. Imagine the insurance costs when these teens do finally decide to get their licenses? It will be through the roof.
Deal Addict
Apr 30, 2015
1103 posts
358 upvotes
SaskBerta
WikkiWikki wrote: Big cities, I can see. This is not rural or small town teens. Getting a license at that age is almost a must, expecially if they work as well. Not owning a car sure, maybe drive the parents. But not having a license, never
Yeah. Where I live everyone drives. (They even still do drivers Ed in the high schools out here).
Lots of kids drive 80's and 90's beaters, but they get them around.

Being from Toronto it was somewhat odd at first that literally everyone out here has a license. When in Toronto I was used to so many people not having one.
Jr. Member
Dec 22, 2015
197 posts
123 upvotes
Toronto, ON
Jruuu wrote: Maybe $300/month for insurance if you live in a small town in ontario. If you live in the GTA, insurance for a new male driver is 500-700/mth. You won't hit 300/mth until 3-4 years with a clean driving record.

For that money, I would be a millenial driver who obeys all speed limits and traffic laws-which will win you a lot of road rage, making your driving experience even worse. I can't blame people for deferrng this expense if some form of public transit is available.
I'm actually at $324, new driver (converted foreign license, but foreign experience doesn't count). BMW 440i GC, downtown Toronto.

Top