Driving is an important and extremely useful life-skill and for most of us, gaining a driving licence is a significant and symbolic event. The potential for mobility and independence that a driving licence confers is one of the defining experiences that mark our transition to adulthood.Passing a driving test is a challenging and expensive undertaking and once you’ve secured your licence you naturally want to put it to use and gain experience as a driver.Pros:Mobility
Once you’ve become used to the personal freedom and ease of mobility that owning a car gives you, it’s not something that you want to relinquish. It can be a great asset to your social life, in that it makes it much easier to visit friends or engage in sports or activities that interest you. Personal mobility can also be a great asset to your studies, making it much easier to travel to work placements, attend interviews or visit specialist libraries.
Time saving
If you are dependent on public transport you will probably spend a lot more time getting to and from your destination. Delays in public transport systems are not just inconvenient; they can be very stressful when you are trying to make a good impression by being punctual every day. Clearly, when driving your own car, you’ll not need to worry about service delays.
Convenience
We all enjoy the convenience of owning a car. You don’t have to queue for tickets or make sure that you’ve bought them in advance. You can respond to spontaneous or short notice invitations without having to find out if you can get there by public transport. You can go door to door without having to plan out a route that involves buses, trains and taxis.
Economy
Although running a car is expensive, depending on your circumstances, it may be more economical to use a car rather than public transport, especially if you are able to ride share with fellow students.
Cons:The cost of insurance
In many cases, young people find that they are paying more for their insurance than they paid for their car. Sadly, this is because young people are the most likely to have an accident. For young people, between the ages of 15 and 29, injuries from road accidents are the leading cause of death.One way to reduce the cost of your insurance is to have telematics fitted to your car; for 75.28% of drivers between the ages of 17 and 20 this is the most affordable insurance option. A black box, fitted to your dashboard, or beneath the bonnet, measures your mileage, speed, steering, braking and location. Your insurance provider will then use this information to set your premium based on how safely you drive, instead of using general statistics.
Additional costs
As any motorist will tell you, cars require continual expenditure. Tax and MOT are annual expenses but there are also unforeseen mechanical problems that need to be put right. Tyres need to be replaced and regular services are needed to ensure that your vehicle is safe. Fuel is of course a weekly expense, and if you are based in a city you are also likely to have to pay for parking. Depending on where you are, parking your car may also turn out to be, not just expensive, but also very difficult and very stressful. It is therefore important to try and find the best fuel prices and parking near you, as it can save you a lot of money and time.
Will your car distract you from your studies?
Owning a car will make you popular with your friends but you may also find yourself doing a lot of running people around. The fact that you can go where you want, when you want, could also prove to be a serious distraction when the time comes for some serious studying.
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