At the age of 16 nearly every teenager bolts to the nearest DMV to get their permit. Six months later, those same teenagers rush back with hopes that they will get their hands on a Pennsylvania Drivers license.
However, according to an LA Times article in 2004, not nearly as many teenagers are going out to get their license right away. The article shows that in 1982 52% of 15-, 16- and 17-year olds had their license. In comparison just 43% of those same teams had their license in 2002.
Mary Stover, a State Farm Insurance Agent, said the numbers are very similar within the state of
“Our numbers in 2006 showed that just 39% of 16-year olds statewide got their license.”
Stover said this could be a result of rising gas and automobile prices as well as an increased awareness to the environment. She also said that some insurance companies offer discounts to drivers who get their license at an older age.
Interestingly, many online insurance companies offer price quotes that would seem to encourage drivers to get their license at 16. Geico, a company that prides itself on having lower prices, is one of these companies. For a 16 year old it would cost $825 a year, without collision. The price for an 18 or 20 year old first time driver would cost $989 a year. So younger, first time drivers, who account for 16% of all car crashes in
Stover said that the cheaper price was “shocking” and was “unsure of their reasoning.” She continued that prices for State Farm were similar in regards to the 18 and 20 year old first time drivers, but rates for 16 year old first time drivers where significantly higher than Geico's.
Said Ken Nguyen, who was a first time driver at 21, "It would just cost too much money to insure my car and pay for gas while at college, it just did not make sense."
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