Does your eligible teen have their Drivers' License?

[TwoMisfits]

My oldest has her license. My youngest has her permit. All 4 of my kids will learn to drive and get a license, albeit not the "instant" they turn of age b/c I prefer them taking their 6 hours and test in the summers when there is little bad weather and lots of time for practice. So many jobs and responsibilities require the ability to drive oneself, not to mention the need to have convenient official ID. So, I find driving a car is imperative to learn as a life skill.

That said, with her license, my oldest almost never drives. My 2nd is much more motivated. That's fine, b/c my oldest CAN drive if needed. And that's all I want for them - the ability, not the necessity.

 

[notatallmagic]

Interesting read.

Both of mine got their permits when able (15 1/2). Then my oldest was diagnosed with a medical condition during Covid that meant she wasn't allowed to drive until that was under control - at all. By the time she was ready medically, she was leaving for college out of state at a campus where cars were discouraged during the first two years. She saw (and I agreed) there was no reason to pay the extra insurance for her NOT to drive at all. She is finishing up her second year of college in a few months, and will likely test for her license this summer. She still won't have a car at school (limited parking and on the bus line), plus the cost of good used cars is crazy.

Youngest just turned 17. Also got his permit right away, and drives occasionally. But we only have one car, and paying the insurance for a 17 year old boy to drive a few miles a week seems silly - plus he has little interest. Same issue with the cost of used cars. He is planning on commuting to college 20 miles away, so will test for his license once he turns 18, but continue to practice with his permit.

For us, it's a combination of factors - the cost of insurance, the cost of decent used cars (I'll end up letting my youngest use my current car; and I'll get a new car next year), not really NEEDING the license (we live in town and can walk/bike pretty much everywhere)...I had my license within 3 weeks of my 16th birthday. It's just a different time.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

For us, it's a combination of factors - the cost of insurance,

Things may have changed but when I worked at the insurance company only one state we wrote in (coincidentally my state) disallowed permitted drivers from being rated. All other states at age 16 they were rated on the policy irrespective of having a full license or not, with more states having a graduated license who knows if that has changed. That was always lovely explaining to agents who were getting yelled at by their clients. However it was always better to add the teen into the household or you'd risk an incident if they were the driver not being covered.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Things may have changed but when I worked at the insurance company only one state we wrote in (coincidentally my state) disallowed permitted drivers from being rated. All other states at age 16 they were rated on the policy irrespective of having a full license or not. That was always lovely explaining to agents who were getting yelled at by their clients. However it was always better to add the teen into the household or you'd risk an incident if they were the driver not being covered.

Right now, I add permitted drivers to my insurance the day they get a permit. Per USAA here, I do not pay a penny more for that move, but only get stuck paying when they get their license. And regardless of how old they are (16 or 19), USAA charges them a decreasing add-on surcharge for their 1st 3 years of driving (highest year 1, less year 2 if they have clean driving, etc) til they level out to normal charging. So, if I could get my kids (who are almost 3 years apart) to space their licenses 3 years apart, I'll be golden, since I'll only be stuck with one surcharge at a time (which, for my 1st, did more than double my insurance)...

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Right now, I add permitted drivers to my insurance the day they get a permit. Per USAA here, I do not pay a penny more for that move, but only get stuck paying when they get their license. And regardless of how old they are (16 or 19), USAA charges them a decreasing add-on surcharge for their 1st 3 years of driving (highest year 1, less year 2 if they have clean driving, etc) til they level out to normal charging. So, if I could get my kids (who are almost 3 years apart) to space their licenses 3 years apart, I'll be golden, since I'll only be stuck with one surcharge at a time (which, for my 1st, did more than double my insurance)...

How it worked at that insurance company is we were allowed in most states to return the driver to "permitted" status for 1 term (whether that was 6 months or 12 months depended on the insured's policy term) but after that nope it didn't matter if they still only had a permit or not. Permitted allowed them to be covered but not included in the premium calculation. There were states where we rated drivers even though the age of full license was 17, but that was not how the insurance company was filed so they had to abide by how they filed with the Insurance Commission.

I once had to deal with the Colorado Insurance Commission on a complaint an insured made to them about that because of mistakes made on the agent's behalf and mistakes made by the call center's behalf. Long story short the teen had been placed in permitted status for 2 terms (6 months each in this case) and should have only been allowed for 1 term. The parents protested the increase on their policy premium when the system removed the "permitted" status on the what would have been the 3rd term but we had already given them more than they should have anyways.

The big issue were the parents who never added their teen to the policy, the teen would get into an accident and they would want that to be covered. I def. had claims at times call me and say "hey how much premium would it be to add so and so day before accident" and they would use that for determination in if they would cover the accident or not. Long time ago the insurance company had added a discount for adding your kids to your policy which incentivize them to be listed. Then the system took care of the rest once they became of age.

Sounds like USAA worked similarly enough with the permit part just that the insurance company I worked for had a 1 term limit and it depended on the state if that status was allowed whereas USAA operates like my state did where permitted drivers cannot be rated (although that may have changed too).

 

[notatallmagic]

Our insurance somehow "considers" them as a permitted driver, but the cost doesn't/hasn't changed with two permitted drivers at all. Price hikes when they become licensed.

We were told we'd get slammed adding the 16 your old boy; but that would be a much smaller hit once he turned 18 and maintained good grades. Since he doesn't need to drive anyway, it just seemed like a couple thousand a year in extra cost to literally drive less than 10 miles a week (we live less than a mile from school and 1/2 mile from his job).

 

[Magical2017]

ODS is 17. He did the written portion and classes and got his permit. He has had zero interest in getting his license.

 

[mjkacmom]

There was a recent article (although the findings aren't really recent) about the discussion of life experience milestones.

The biggest factor in lack of interest in driving was the push to increase the DL ages by states at the urging of various entities. My state was actually mentioned in the article as one of them. For example as an agriculture state the permit age was low and farm permits could be obtained. Permits started at age 14 with a full license at age 16, if older than 16 no driving requirements (such as the 50 hours with 10 being night) needed. Now it's a graduated system with 17 being the full license age.

That combined with lack of funds by ways of jobs and incomes to obtain vehicles combined with parents not necessarily pushing it combined with kids not seeing getting out and driving around as a big milestone anymore has steadily been decreasing the number of DLs held by the youth of today.

I didn't get my license until I was 17 even though I had held a permit since age 15 (actually used to get on a cruise) because I didn't have the funds for a car. I got a license when I knew I would be purchasing my car. But back then 17 was sorta old to get a license. Now state rules are you can't get a non-restricted license until age 17.

Here you get your permit at 16, a restricted license at 17 (curfew and only one passenger until age 18). My kids all got their provisional at 17.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Since he doesn't need to drive anyway, it just seemed like a couple thousand a year in extra cost to literally drive less than 10 miles a week (we live less than a mile from school and 1/2 mile from his job).

It's a valid consideration and one that weighs in on when teens get licenses and cars. Youth will generally speaking be quite expensive to insure, it's like a bell curve. Upper 80s can be just as risky than the teens. But there's reasons for the increase in premium because statistically they are the ones most likely to get in accidents and insurance companies have to cover those costs on their side.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Here you get your permit at 16, a restricted license at 17 (curfew and only one passenger until age 18). My kids all got their provisional at 17.

How it is nowadays in the state is

Restricted license-age 15 (if you get this once you turn 16 you can move to less restrictions placed on the license so long as you provide the DMV the 50 hours requirement)
Less Restricted-age 16 (if you get this it has to be held for 6 months OR until you turn 17 whichever is occurs first)
Non-Restricted-age 17 and up

Also included is
Permits-age 14,15,16 (if you get this one it has to be held for 1 year prior to moving to restricted license)
Permit-age 17
Farm permit-age 14 and 15
Less Restricted Farm-age 16

There's rules like timing, locations (like only work and school), passenger restrictions, etc which vary based on which one you get. Plus wireless restrictions.

Before when I was a teen you could get a full non-restricted license at age 16 and many did, now it's age 17 minimum.

 

[aprilgail]

Mine took off school on her 16th birthday and went and got her permit- already had a car waiting for her, I had gotten a new car and kept the old one for her. She drove for the next 4 years and then she had one event while merging that scared her and she stopped driving. She is going to book some driving lessons soon with a driving school so get herself back out driving soon. Prior to her and her friends getting their licenses they would just all use Ubers when they wanted to go out to the diners or places.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

just all use Ubers when they wanted to go out to the diners or places.

Not picking on your comment because I know others have mentioned it but it's just interesting knowing how completely against policy that is for under 18 to be using rideshares. It 100% happens sometimes as just a normal thing to do but it violates the company's terms of service. It's obviously being rampantly abused and not reported but none the less shows how these rideshare companies don't necessarily care either.

 

[anniemae]

My DD has little interest in getting her license. She has permit. Needs to start the lessons part. I am encouraging her to get it even if she does not use it much. Better to have it and drive a little here and there to gain confidence. She won't be getting a car any time soon, but it would be nice to have another licensed driver in the house. I feel like 16 is kind of young to drive, and her driving school instructor felt the same way, but it is what it is.

 

[kdonnel]

My kids both got their license in time to drive to school junior year of high school. That is the first year where you could get the needed parking permit.

Unless a lot of people are breaking Lyft or Uber terms of service which do not allow unaccompanied minors under 18 to ride, I don't think rideshare explains the decrease in how many teens have drivers licenses.

 

[sam_gordon]

I do not pay a penny more for that move, but only get stuck paying when they get their license.

Our insurance company doesn't charge for permit holders either, just license holders.

Our graduated program is as follows:
Permit (written test): 16
Intermediate (Restricted) available after holding permit for 6 months and 60 hours of driving (10 at night).
Unrestricted: After holding intermediate for 6 months.

If you wait until 18, you immediately get your unrestricted. The restricted license keeps you from driving between midnight-6am (unless to/from work, school, or "valid" reason), and there can only be one UNRELATED minor in the car.

 

[Skippy918]

As an older teen in the 90s, i couldn’t wait to learn how to drive. I lived in nyc though and was able to get my permit at almost 17 and got my license a month before I turned 18.
my oldest is 14 and he could get a permit at 15. I don’t know if he’s in any sort of rush. He bikes to school right now.

 

[soccerdad72]

Our insurance company doesn't charge for permit holders either, just license holders.

Our graduated program is as follows:
Permit (written test): 16
Intermediate (Restricted) available after holding permit for 6 months and 60 hours of driving (10 at night).
Unrestricted: After holding intermediate for 6 months.

If you wait until 18, you immediately get your unrestricted. The restricted license keeps you from driving between midnight-6am (unless to/from work, school, or "valid" reason), and there can only be one UNRELATED minor in the car.

Same here as far as insurance goes.

License-wise, teens can get permits at 15 1/2 and their license at 16. From 16 to 17, they have restrictions like one non-related passenger and curfew of midnight. After 17, there is no restrictions (that I can think of).

 

[design_mom]

Mine were both excited to get theirs and got them as soon as possible (my daughter was also delayed by COVID shutdowns... she couldn't schedule her required in-car lessons, even though we had done LOTS of driving by then.)

When I was a teen and eligible for my license (late 80s) I really had no interest. I didn't have a car, nor really anyplace to go, so why bother? My parents forced me to get my license at 17.5... and I did (but asking to borrow a car was a big ordeal so I almost never asked) and I had a job, but my parents dropped me off/picked me up because they didn't want to be without a car. Even today, I do drive and I'm not afraid to drive or anything, but i do not LIKE to drive.

 

[CamillaF]

Two 17 year olds that have zero interest in driving. My 17 old nephew doesn’t have any interest either.

To me driving is like swimming. It's a life skill that if you don't learn when your are with your family you most likely will never learn.

 

[georgina]

My kids are older. Oldest, 32, got her license as soon as she was legally allowed. She has a car and drives regularly. Son, 30, was not interested but I insisted at age 20 he get a license. He did and has not driven since getting it. Youngest, 27, has a license and drove some to sports practice, etc in high school. She was a more timid, less adventurous driver than her older sister. She lives in San Francisco and does not own a car, although she occasionally drives a friend’s car on road trips.