Whether you're just turning 16 or are in your 20s, you've probably heard people tell you how important it is to have a driver's license. You have to have a license in order to work, go to school or to travel anywhere outside your house. And while people are right that it's important to have your driver's license, it's also OK if you decide to take your time to get it.
When you turned 16, you probably had other people try to rush you to get your driver's license. People will often treat it like it's the end of the world if you don't get yours right away. But what people don't understand is that not everyone wants to drive right away. Some of us decide to wait until we're 18 due to the cost of insurance or simply because we are too busy with schoolwork.
I'm 22, and I still don't have my driver's license. When I was 16, I was too busy focusing on studying and getting my grades up to have enough time to find a job and go to driver's ed. I was also participating in a lot of extracurricular activities. And when I turned 18, I was suddenly busy trying to adjust to college life, and I'm still busy with college. However, the world did not end just because I haven't gotten my license yet.
I've known a lot of people who have rushed into getting their license the moment they turned 16 only to find themselves drowning in car payments, paying for insurance and trying to save up money for gas. Most of them will face a tremendous amount of stress because they rushed into getting a driver's license without considering the cost or expenses that follow.
And when you're a teenager, the insurance is even more expensive than when you are an adult. According to InCharge, adding a teen driver to a parent's insurance increases the bill by 44 percent, and the average insurance rate is almost $3,000. Not only do you have to worry about insurance when you're a teenager, but you also have to buy a car, which is expensive to get and maintain.
In addition, teenagers who are 16 to 19 years old are three times more likely to get in a car accident than adults. I remember a lot of people in my high school getting into car accidents and suffering injuries. Rushing into driving is not a smart move, especially if you're not ready to start driving or to handle the responsibility.
After looking at all of the payments you would have to make along with the statistics, how is waiting to get a driver's license not considered being smart or safe? Why should we publicly shame others for not having their driver's license? I may not have my driver's license, but I have so many other things that are more important at the moment. I have to juggle working at a part-time job on campus, keeping my grades up in college and student teaching. Yet I've still had people make me feel like I am lazy for not getting my driver's license.
I will admit that I will eventually need to get my license, especially once I have to start my student teaching experience in my last semester of college. But for the time being, I have other means of transportation at the moment that I can use instead of driving to get to campus. I take the bus, and I'll sometimes get a ride from friends who have the same classes.
You should never let other people make you feel ashamed for not having your driver's license if you are in college or are in your 20s. Having a driver's license is not always the most important thing. Having good grades is more important.
You should get your driver's license when you feel that you are ready rather than letting other people decide for you. You are not lazy because you haven't gotten a driver's license yet. You are being smart and are waiting for the right time when you are not too busy, are making a good income and can handle the expenses that come with owning a vehicle.
