Many young people who turn 17 are interested in learning to drive because of the new freedom that comes with travelling independently.

 

Not having to rely on parents to give lifts, and being able to see friends at the drop of a hat is enticing. But surely having your own car is an outdated idea.

 

Insurance alone makes having a car financially challenging, with the average cost of insurance for a 17-year-old at a whopping £1,690.

 

However, there are some good alternatives, like joining a car club. With car clubs, you can use a shared car in your neighbourhood at short notice and hire it by the hour, or the day. This might be particularly good for young people who live in large cities, such as university students. In addition, there are lots of car rental companies which are widely available and cost £15-£50 per day.

 

But the more I think about it, the more I feel like driving itself just doesn’t make sense.

 

To even begin to learn to drive it takes on average 40 hours of lessons, costing around £25-£50 each lesson as well as the cost of theory and practical tests. This cost can be daunting for many and this being just the initial cost of a car even more so. Car owners also have to pay for fuel which costs around £1.50 per litre. In addition to this, insurance, yearly car services, MOT, repairs, and tax have to be considered and regularly paid for.

 

That’s why I’ve decided I’ll never learn to drive. First, I can just get an Uber. Second, self-driving cars will be the norm within 20 years, at which point being able to drive will become redundant. However, some people are set on driving themselves so I still consider car hire and car clubs a decent alternative.