Driving is Overrated
Why Driving isn’t Necessary for a Normal Life
Institute for Transportation & Development Policy
Over the course of about a year, my parents have been nagging me to get my license, but what’s the rush?
Sure, having to get on the bus at 6:45 every morning kinda sucks – but it is not much different than having to leave my house at 6:55 to get to school early enough to not wait in traffic and to find parking.
A car, and driving, isn’t something that is a necessity.
Sure, it could be advantageous in certain situations, but overall the pros of driving aren’t strong enough to ensure getting a license.
To start, the expenses for owning a car is a lot more than actually buying the car itself. For example, you need money for car insurance, gas, and oil changes. Plus, extra money is needed to be set aside in case of an emergency.
This doesn’t even take into account the fact that the used cars are extremely high in demand right now – a source that is usually considered the cheaper option.
And as a 16 year old, I don’t have that kind of money.
Even if I were to save up for a car, I would be wasting thousands of dollars that I could’ve used for something else – like money for college or even money to buy clothes or going out to eat with friends.
With modern day resources like Uber or Lyft, not being able to drive wouldn’t put a limitation on one’s social life.
Additionally, driving comes with a huge responsibility that many fail to consider: When you get in a vehicle, you are responsible for not only your life on the road, but also for the life of others. More than 38,000 people die every year in crashes on U.S. roadways …. An additional 4.4 million are injured seriously enough to require medical attention. — Association of Safe International Road Travel
You must follow a seemingly endless list of rules and regulations as soon as you sit behind the wheel.
If you were to disobey these rules, the consequences of your actions could be detrimental.
This, in turn, places a huge burden on the shoulders of any person willing to drive – a burden that is most often overlooked or disregarded.
One could argue that this notion is a possibility for anyone that gets into a vehicle (either car, bus, bicycle, etc), but one must also acknowledge the fact that when you are not the one behind the wheel, then you are not the one in control in that situation.
Therefore, if there was a car wreck, you wouldn’t be morally responsible for all the damage that was done.
When the expenses, convenience, and responsibility is taken into account, the idea of driving and owning a car is something that is unnecessary for living a normal life.
Tierna Mahoney is a Senior at Norwalk High and has been a reporter for the Paw Print for three consecutive years. She likes to participate in many clubs...
