Everyone has heard of the saying “Driving is a privilege, not a right”. This statement is in fact true, it is a privilege. However, car insurance companies use this privilege to discriminate teens based on their stereotypical classifications of being “mischievous” and “untrustworthy”. Teenagers, new drivers, are faced with the highest insurance rates which clearly is a form of discrimination against them.
Car Insurance companies do not see teen drivers as people, but as potential problems that will have to be dealt with in the future. They believe that teen drivers are inexperienced and that they are the ones who are involved in more accidents and ‘drinking while driving’ incidents. This discriminates all teens, including the ones who are responsible and trusted drivers. Companies think they are inexperienced, then why not provide them with opportunities to gain the amount of experience they think teens need. They classify all teens as less responsible than older drivers. However, older drivers are at the legal age to be drinking when teens aren’t. So in return, older drivers are the ones who find themselves in more drunk driving incidents. On another note, older drivers have the advantage of working so they can pay their insurance rates, when teens find it hard to obtain a well-paying job at their age. As a result they cannot pay off their high insurance rates. Car insurance companies need to change their perspective on how they see new drivers because they are discriminating young drivers before even giving them a chance.
Age-based insurance rates are of one of the most obviously accepted forms of discrimination. Not many people think twice of it, they just accept it as it is. Insurance companies, basing their rates on the ages of drivers, should instead base insurance rates on that individual’s driving capabilities and performances. They pre-judge applicants using their age as the major qualification and disciplining them from the start. Most insurance companies use the old standard method of charging everyone high rates, just in case they do end up in any accidents etc. However drivers should pay a flat rate that increases with every negative infraction on their behalf. This is the more fair way for all drivers to pay their insurance. As stated before, car insurance companies have their perspective set based on only their views, when they should be viewing the situation through other perspectives
