Is The Information Age Destroying Teens Desire To Drive?

I think there are some very strange trends, and this is just one of them...others include disinterest in music and even phone calls.

The 17 year old across the street from me has a new Accord since she turned 16 and has not even started drivers ed. No interest at all in driving even though she will have to drive to college next fall.

I asked her when she thinks she will get around to it and she doesn't have a timeframe yet.

GEEZZ! I was hounding my parents at 14 to sign me up for drivers ed.

I have sympathy for those teens; I doubt those new laws work for the best.

Information age should be replaced with insurance premiums.

Of course they don't care about cars their loser parents are all living in the United States of Toyota and buying mundane boring cars that are more like toaster ovens. Muscle cars over 40 grand are too expensive and even higher end German cars have subdued looks to be not too brash or flashy as that would not be a German thing to do. so DUH the cars look stupid so kids think they are stupid...OMG what a concept! So they even don't know a Ferrari from a Lamborghini because most haven't seen either ever!

Driving has become a necessity rather than a cool mode of transportation. It is no longer looked at as enjoyable or exciting, unless you are going to social event where the automobile has a positive role. I can see why for many youth, the reward driving offers may not be worth the effort.

a kid living in Manhattan, NY would never need to drive, and rarely learn to drive until the actually get to college

Far as Im concerned, the fewer dumbass teens on the road, the better.

As a parent of two teens, I say that its the parents, not the kids.

Parents today do EVERYTHING for their kids - make every meal, clean up, do laundry, drive them everywhere. Parents are on call 24/7 to respond to any demand that a kid makes. This is all done to the extent that a kid never has to learn to do anything for themselves. To most kids, living at home is just like living at the Ritz, everything is provided or done for them.

And THEN parents wonder why they have a 34-yr old son who is still living at home. Get a clue folks.

It's the economy, stupid!

Even kids with jobs, don't make enough money to buy and insure a new or good used car. As cars have become more complex and difficult to repair fewer kids can do their own repairs and the older, simpler cars have all been snatched up by collectors or auto recyclers.

Most of today's financially-strapped families just don't have the income necessary to buy cars for their kids. There are even adults who are getting rid of their cars and relying on walking, bicycling and, horrors!, public transportation.

It seems to be happening in other parts of the world besides the U.S. Japan has reported a significant decrease in car ownership in general and among the young in particular. Similar things seem to be going on in Europe.