6 Struggles All Young Drivers Will Understand

1. Insurance companies spank you for money

Approximately 12 per cent of drivers who are killed or injured behind the wheel are aged between 17 and 19. That might not strike you as a particularly high number, but that quickly changes when you consider the fact that 17-19-year-olds make up only 1.5 per cent of the number of licensed drivers.

For that reason, insurance companies (especially in the UK) spend their time spanking young drivers for all they’re worth when trying to insure anything with more than 65bhp.

As an example, I took 10 years off my life and posed as a 20-year-old male student who’s been driving for three years. I have zero points on my license, have never had an accident and live at home with my mother in west London. From a variety of companies, my quotes ranged from £16,186 to £25,656 per year for a 2001 Honda S2000 that’s valued at £6000. GTFO!

2. You're never taken seriously

Because you’re young, adults will rarely pay any attention to what you have to say. This is stupid because you’ve probably got just the same amount of theoretical knowledge (thanks to channels like MCM et al), albeit with limited real-life experience.

There is a flip side to this, however, and that’s how much young drivers/petrolheads like to brag about the cool stuff they probably haven’t done yet.

3. You have to beg your parents for the car keys

If you’ve recently passed your driving test, you’ll know how it feels to have to beg your folks for the keys to the family boremobile. It sucks that you have to plan your time behind the wheel around them, but it’s a reality we’ve all been through.

4. You have no money for cool stuff

There are so many cool things that you want to buy for your car (if you could actually afford a car in the first place), but limited funds and school/uni mean that you need to get a weekend/evening job to save up for car parts. Stay with it. It’s totally worth the sacrifices!

5. You're a certified cop magnet

No matter how hard you try to blend in, cops are drawn to you like flies to involuntary bowel movements. "License and registration" is a phrase you hear at least once a week, especially if you’re driving something that doesn’t look like it was handed down to you by your grandmother.

6. People assume you're spoilt if you have your own car

How many times have people assumed that the car you’re driving was bought by your parents? A lot, I’m guessing.

The reality, in many cases, is that you actually worked your ass off in the summer holiday/evenings/weekends, saved every penny and paid for the car with your own money. When people look at you like a spoilt brat, you earn the right to give them the finger.

This post was inspired by your feedback on Friday’s community question.