First Love Getting A Car Is A Big Step Toward Indepedence For A Teen

It’s hardly the car of your dreams: a mile-long, gas-guzzling, fender-dented, muffler-missing, cracked-windshield clunker of a car. But it gets you where you need to go, right?

The advantages of having your own car certainly outweigh the disadvantages, especially compared to the other methods of transportation available (mom and dad, the bus or walking).

Whether it’s an expensive BMW or a beat-up station wagon, nothing compares to the freedom of having your own set of wheels, and today more and more teens are being allowed that opportunity.

Not only is it convenient to have a car available to use without having to share with other family members, but for teens like Lakeside junior Shala Demaris, it is “sensible.”

“Nobody else in my family can take it away; they have their own cars to drive,” says Demaris, the driver of an 1988 Beretta.

West Valley student Tom Yates agrees. “I can go where I want without having to take the bus or ride with my parents.”

But Yates says the added responsibilities of insuring his 1981 Oldsmobile Omega and buying gas are drawbacks.

It adds up. Many teens are insured under their parents’ insurance policies. In fact, kids under 18 have to be on their parents’ policies. But most parents make their teens at least contribute to the bill.

Boys’ insurance rates tend to be higher than girls’ because males are at a higher risk of accidents. In general, guys will pay $300 to $400 more a year in insurance than girls.

Several insurance companies offer good-student discounts to young drivers. This especially pays off for boys. For example, Safeco Insurance gives a 30 percent discount to boys with a B average or better.

Rogers junior Lewis Wirth is an example of why rates are higher for teenage boys. During his first month as a driver, Wirth was involved in a rear-end collision.

“Nobody was really hurt, but I am sure that my rates will go up since it was my fault,” says Wirth, whose 1978 Volkswagen Bug was damaged in the accident.

Most teens drive older cars. Not only less expensive to insure, they are also not as pricey as newer cars. Sports cars especially can drive insurance rates through the roof. Jason Bray, however, is an exception to the rule.

His ‘91 Nissan pickup was given to him by his parents. They also pay his insurance.

“There is so much more freedom having my own truck. Before, my parents drove me everywhere,” says Bray, a junior at Rogers. “Now I can go out on dates and cruise without having to depend on them.”

Brandy McLeod, like many others, drives an older car. Her parents gave her a 1986 Chevy Celebrity, nicknamed the “Clutzmobile” by her friends.

“It’s kind of like a hand-me-down car,” explains the Cheney High School senior. “You can tell that it’s had three owners, it’s dented and the paint is faded.

“It’s not that bad but my friends all have newer cars,” she says. “Still, I can still get around without relying on other people.”

And your first car is something you’ll always remember. Spokane County Commissioner Steve Hasson still thinks fondly of his, a 1948 Chrysler New Yorker that he bought for $175.

Basically, a first car is a teen’s first step toward adulthood, a taste of responsibility. And as most teens would agree, it sure does taste good.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: SHOW US YOUR CAR Got a cool hot rod or an “I-can’t believe-it-still-starts” beater? Our Generation wants pictures of teenagers’ cars for an upcoming photo page on what you drive. Send your pics before Sept. 22 to: Our Generation, Wheels, 999 W. Riverside, Spokane, WA 99201. We’ll award a prize to the best and worst rides by the end of the month.