Driving Instruction

Drivers Ed vs Uber

June 29, 2021

Drivers Ed vs Uber for Teens

One of the biggest reliefs of your child getting older is no longer having to be their on-call chauffeur. Sports practices, friend’s houses, school, and so on. Odds are, you’ve been your child’s main source of transportation for most of their life. But now, as they approach that golden age of 16, they have the opportunity to earn a bit of freedom by getting their driver’s license. That is, unless you decide to send them an Uber instead.

That’s right. There has been a growing trend of parents using Uber as a means to shuttle around their un-licensed teen children.

The idea of using Uber to shuttle your child around sounds like a great idea and a great use of modern tech. But unfortunately, there are several reasons why it would be much better to have your teen learn to drive and get their driver’s license.

1. It’s Against Uber’s Terms and Conditions

Oops! According to Uber’s terms and conditions, a rider must have their own Uber account and be at least 18 years of age. Many parents that have experimented with using Uber to transport their teens do so by having them sign into their own login.

If you don’t get caught, obviously not a big deal, but if you do, your out of an Uber account, which is a bummer for the next time you want date night to include a drink or two.

2. Your Teen is ALREADY Really Expensive

Having a kid is already expensive enough. Handing over your Uber account to them gives them the ability to run up a large bill as they go wherever on your dime. Like this guy, who traveled across the whole country and ran up a $5,000 bill…

3. Waiting to get your license makes you a worse driver!

You’d think that waiting until your teen is older and more mature would lower the risk of them being a bad driver. According to an article in the Seattle Times this is actually not the case! Driver’s who start driving at age 16 are actually the least likely to receive a driving citation. Their 18 year-old counterparts were found to be 3 times as likely to receive a driving citation.

4. Teaching Your Teen How to Drive is a great Bonding Experience

With you teen just a couple of years from being (hopefully) out on their own, teaching them how to drive can be a great bonding experience. Not only will you be taking time to teach them a new skill, you’ll also have plenty of one-on-one time to talk to your teen. You may wind up helping them out with more advice than how not to get pulled over.