Teens just cant afford to drive, says insurance research group
A new study counters the idea that teens would rather connect online than in person through driving. An examination of insurance data and the unemployment rate for teens concluded that sheer economics are keeping teens away from the wheel, said the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI).
It looks like teens just cant afford to drive, said HLDI vice president Matt Moore. Paying for their own cars, gas and insurance is hard if they cant find a job.
HLDI looked at the differences in unemployment rates of teens and prime-age drivers. Unemployment increased 11 percentage points for teens from 2006 to 2010 and 5 points for prime-age workers.
Researchers found an inverse relationship between the growing unemployment spread and the falling ratio of teen drivers to prime-age drivers.
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