2011 was an eventful year for the auto industry. With all of the weather-related disasters that struck and the economy issues, here is a brief list of those that had the most impact on the auto industry this past year:

• Personal Vehicle Tax Removed. In September of 2008 the City of Toronto added a Personal Vehicle Tax for all of its residents.The PVT in the amount of $60 per car ($30 per motorcycle) was charged to Toronto residents when they renewed their plates each year.
• The Japan Tsunami. Not only was the tsunami in Japan a devastating occurrence, it also caused inventory shortages and disturbances within the supply chain. Manufacturer’s are still working to reach their pre-disaster production levels.
• Alternative Fuel Technologies. Electric vehicles stole the spotlight this year (Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt). But diesel cars continue to make impressive gains, thanks to new turbo injection technology, improved gas mileage and lower C02 emissions. Ethanol, flex-fuel, biodiesel and hydrogen are other alternative technologies that manufacturers have been experimenting with.
• Low interest rates. The cost of borrowing remained at historic lows throughout 2011. On the plus side, low interest rates made car ownership more affordable for thousands of Canadians. Canadian banks are expected to hold rates low until the global economies improve.
• Provincial election. The Liberal Party under Dalton McGuinty is governing under a minority position for the first time. The Premier has indicated that he will continue to work with the auto industry and other stakeholders by providing much-needed investment dollars. His government has recognized that the 90,000 jobs that the auto sector supports in Ontario are worth fighting for.
• Lower consumer confidence. The Conference Board of Canada reported that consumer confidence fell 3.3 per cent in October (its lowest level since May 2009), and the Royal Bank of Canada has reported that Canadians are still worried about the economy and their financial situations. As a result, many Canadians have delayed purchasing large-ticket items, such as vehicles. This trend has kept many would-be car buyers out of showrooms.
• The used car market. Acquiring quality vehicles for resale is still a challenge for dealers. This shortage of used vehicles has driven prices up, making it a challenge to offer a used vehicle while remaining competitive in price or payment compared to a new vehicle, with all of the programs and incentives offered by the manufacturers.

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For the rest of October, Prime Motors of London is having a Slasher Sale!

Slashing prices and accepting any and all offers! Hurry in to Prime Motors of London today!

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It’s not only cars that are getting “downsized” these days.

According to government statistics, the size of the average Canadian family has declined from 4.3 persons in 1921 to 2.5 in 2006, while the average number of children at home per family has also dropped from 1.4 in 1981 to 1.1.

But maybe your family is bucking that trend.

If so, and you need to haul around five or more of your kin, alphabetically, here are my Top 10 New Vehicles for Large Families:

2011 Acura MDX

Compared to rival German brand SUVs that take a lot more from your wallet, I’ve always liked Acura’s value-laden $52,690 (all base prices) MDX sports utility vehicle, mainly because in addition to its three rows of seats for seven passengers, the largest of Acuras drives like a large sports sedan.

In addition to Acura’s exclusive, torque-vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system, the MDX’s 3.7-litre V6 with 300 hp is matched to a responsive six-speed automatic, delivering quick responses from under foot, while a newly retuned active suspension (admittedly, part of the optional $10,000 Elite Package) offers more compliance over rough pavement.

2012 Audi Q7 TDI Premium

Although SUVs aren’t as popular in Europe, diesel engines sure are. And that combination makes the $63,000 Audi Q7 TDI Premium a wonderful transportation conveyance for large-ish families who can afford a European luxury driving experience.

Although its 3.0-litre diesel makes a robust 225 hp and 406 lb.-ft., it also sips a road-trip friendly 7.3 litres per 100 kilometres.

Like many of it rivals, the Audi SUV strives to offer a luxury sedan interior. And it succeeds. With excellent ergonomics, tight shut lines and expensive-feeling materials, the three-row seven-passenger all-wheel-drive Q7 comes across as a taller Audi A8 wagon — albeit one that can handle some light off-roading at a flick of the optional air suspension.

2011 Cadillac Escalade ESV Platinum Edition

Families who like to flaunt it need look no further than one of the largest, roomiest and most ostentatious SUVs you can buy: the Chevrolet Suburban-based Cadillac Escalade ESV, a three-row eight-passenger vehicle that’s 53.4 cm longer than the regular Escalade.

To compete with other full-size SUVs like Lincoln’s Navigator, the Escalade ESV is powered by a 6.2-litre V8 with 403 hp.

And to ramp the “living large” theme up to “11,” the Platinum package not only adds LED headlamps and what Cadillac calls “the world’s fastest-acting suspension, Magnetic Ride Control,” but also $23,650 to the ‘Slade’s already ambitious $88,650 base price.

2011 Dodge Durango

Benefiting from its previous partnership with Mercedes-Benz, the all-new three-row seven-passenger Durango goes from “worst-” to “best-in-class” for 2011.

Instead of the ill-handling and space-inefficient truck-based 1997 to 2004 iterations, the 2011 Durango resides on the car-based platform of the next Mercedes-Benz GL — all for a starting price at $37,995, about half the price of its German platform-mate.

Available with either a 290 hp V6 or a 360 hp V8, the Durango combines the room of a crossover, but with best-in-class towing capacity (6,200 lbs. with the V6; 7,400 lbs. with the V8), a well-appointed interior and relatively decent road manners.

2011 Dodge Grand Caravan SE

One of the biggest reasons the front-wheel-drive Dodge Grand Caravan has been Canada’s No. 1 selling minivan for 27 straight years is value. And even with several upgrades for 2011, the base $19,995 Grand Caravan SE continues that bang-for-your-buck philosophy.

The same, 283 hp V6 found in the Durango is matched to an equally new six-speed automatic transmission, combining for an excellent 7.9 L/100 km highway rating.

Inside, the up-to-eight passenger Grand Caravan uses higher quality materials this year, with better fit and finish, while class-exclusive, one-touch Super Stow ‘n Go seats become a second row feature.

2012 Ford Flex

For large families that don’t want to be seen driving a minivan, may I suggest the $28,999 three-row six- or seven-passenger Flex.

Inside, the boxy Ford is roomy and comfortable — especially for those in the second row, who get Rolls-Royce-like legroom with wedge-shaped footrests. And everyone on board is treated to the Flex’s high-grade materials and build quality.

The front- or $38,499 all-wheel-drive Flex also drives more like a station wagon than a minivan. The ride is firm, but never too harsh. The cabin is coffin quiet. And in addition to a 262 hp V6, a turbocharged six offers a robust 355 hp for large families who also like to move quickly.

2012 Mazda5

Mazda’s mini-minivan may only have room for six passengers, and a minimum of cargo space. But the $21,795 Mazda5’s athletic chassis and unique manual transmission makes a good choice for those who prefer their family hauler of the snack-size variety.

Redesigned for 2012, the second-generation front-wheel-drive Mazda5 incorporates the automaker’s stillborn Nagare “flow” design. Inside, the interior has been thoroughly redesigned with more use of quality materials.

Under the hood, the Mazda5 gets a larger 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with 157 hp. Yet it’s still rated at 9.7L/100 km city and 6.8L highway with its manual transmission — measurably more fuel-efficient than not-so-mini minivan competitors.

2011 Nissan Quest

If you want the amenities of a luxury car, but need the seats of a minivan, try the new $29,998 Quest.

The fourth-generation Quest is based on a Nissan front-drive platform. The seven-seat Nissan uses a 3.5-litre V6 with 253 hp, mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission.

But it’s inside where the new Quest sets itself apart from more plebeian minivan rivals like the Toyota Sienna or Honda Odyssey.

The overall interior design and construction is of such a higher quality than the last Nissan minivan that a premium Infiniti badge wouldn’t look out of place on the Quest’s back door.

2011 Land Rover LR4

If you’re the type of family that skips Disneyland and heads straight to the African Congo when vacationing, you’ll need the $62,400 LR4, the up-to-seven-passenger all-wheel-drive Land Rover that remains the choice for off-roading large families.

Compared to its LR3 predecessor, the LR4 gets a new Jaguar-sourced 375 hp V8, much tidier on-road handling, and a new interior that is almost a match for the $100,000-plus Range Rover.

Despite all the LR4’s on-road improvements, it is still incredibly capable off-road, highlighted by its Terrain Response Control system that customizes the vehicles off-road settings depending in the road (or non-road) conditions.

2012 Volvo XC90 3.2 AWD

The $48,900 XC90 may be showing its age. It’s been around since 2002. But the three-row seven-passenger Volvo crossover is still one of the best vehicles for over-protective parents with large families.

For starters, drivers will never treat the XC90 like a sports car. Its non-sporty 3.2-litre inline-six with 235 hp and comfort-oriented suspension won’t inspire spirited driving. And the rest of the biggest Volvo is family–friendly too.

The XC90’s seats are long haul comfortable and include Volvo’s Whiplash Protection System. Second-row occupants are equally comfortable in a spacious bench. And in addition to braking aids like ABS and Electronic Brake Force Distribution, the XC90 comes with a Roll Over Protection System that includes a reinforced roof structure and Roll Stability Control that applies individual brakes to help reduce the likelihood of a rollover.

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Note:I wrote an article a while ago about Electric Cars and whether or not they would have the same charging system. I found this article yesterday, and as it turns out, they will!

Automakers unite to create one EV charge system

The system will use a common vehicle inlet/charging connector and will have a standard electronic method for the vehicle to communicate with the charging station.

This will allow electric vehicles from Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche and Volkswagen to share the same fast charging stations.

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ERIC LAI

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

As a writer, I avoid words I feel are trite and meaningless as descriptors. For example, I shun using “very” or “surreal” to describe an “accident.”

First off, it’s a crash or collision, not an “accident.” It might not be intentional, but when motorists drive recklessly, too fast for conditions, while distracted or impaired, the resulting crash is more accurately described as a foreseeable consequence.

Frankly, “accident” makes it sound as if the outcome was unavoidable and no one was to blame — which is hardly ever the case. Police are able to lay charges (though sometimes opt not to for various reasons) and insurers can determine someone to be at-fault in virtually all collisions.

More: 10 things to do after a car crash

More: The least and most expensive cars to insure

Collisions aren’t “accidents,” they occur when laws are broken. Yes, it’s a matter of semantics, but the simple fact is that unless drivers take ownership for their dangerous actions, and their consequences, they’ll never try to change them — and will likely repeat them.

Now, if you watch for it, virtually every day in the media some unimaginative person will describe a collision, tornado, or other intense event as “surreal.” Presumably, they’re trying to sound intelligent, but it’s so cliché, overused, and meaningless, that my eyes roll whenever I hear it.

As for “very,” that fell into disfavour after Rosie O’Donnell strung a dozen or more “very” in a row to describe how upset she was about something.

Speaking of traffic collisions, have you noticed that some people try to garner sympathy by claiming they had a noble destination? That is, apparently someone hurt in a car crash while headed to church is somehow more worthy of our sympathy than say, someone injured while headed to a night club, for example.

Nice try, but if you break the law anytime and injure someone who was driving properly, they are still the victim — regardless of your claimed “noble” destination.

On a similar note, “psychic” crash descriptions also bother me. That is: “If the crash had happened a minute/hour/day/week/month/year/decade before or later, then more people would have been injured.”

Well it didn’t. So conjecture like this is pointless.

For example, a traffic collision occurs on a weekday morning. Just wait a bit and a loaded school bus will soon pass by. Now an unscrupulous tabloid might run the sensationalized headline that: “If this crash happened just minutes later, dozens of young children would have been injured.”

Or, taken to an equally ridiculous extreme, as a reporter at a crash site, you can say: “If the collision happened an hour and 35 minutes later, I would have been struck, since I’m standing here right now.”

And that’s not responsible news reporting. That’s just a fairy tale.

KANISHKA SONNADARA

EVERGEEK MEDIA

While thousands of vehicles are bought and sold in Canada every day, rare is a sale based on a vehicle’s insurability.

Ironically, the cost of insuring a vehicle can add up to one-third of a new vehicle’s purchase cost with just the first year’s premiums.

With that in mind, weighing the true cost of vehicle ownership should include some research into insurance costs of your new or used car or truck. Vehicle insurance costs vary from person to person, company to company, and, of course, vehicle to vehicle, but for ballpark purpose on vehicle model years 1997 to 2009, there is a great resource to be found at the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC).

COLLISION

If you’ve ever spent any time the roads, you’ve probably realized how easy it is to get into an accident (or perhaps you’re oblivious; an accident waiting to happen).

Vehicle collisions, of course, affect your insurance rate as well as the rates of those dwelling in your whereabouts — insurance premiums are generally lower in small towns as opposed to big cities, because crashes and therefore insurance claims are statistically less likely (there’s less to crash into).

But a crash of any sort will also affect the insurance ratings for the make and model of the vehicle involved based on a number of factors, including the car’s prevalence on the road and the cost of repair parts and labour. To wit:

Vehicles with the highest collision claim costs:

2005 Mercedes-Benz SL500/SL600/SL55/SL65

2005 Subaru Impreza WRX & WRX STi

2007 Subaru Impreza WRX & WRX STi

2006 Nissan 350z

2004 Nissan 350z

Vehicles with the lowest collision claim costs:

1997 Mazda MX5

1999 Mazda MX5

2002 Mazda MX5

1997 Pontiac Transport / Oldsmobile Silhouette

2001 Mazda MX5

COMPREHENSIVE

While collision insurance is often optional (though usually required on leased or company vehicles) comprehensive personal and general liability insurance usually is not.

Good thing, too, as such policies cover expansively (read: “comprehensively”) injury to people or property resulting from a car collision or vehicle neglect, which can often include damage to expensive stuff like the storefront window of a China shop and personal injury lawsuits well beyond the average driver’s means.

Comprehensive auto insurance, on the other hand, is usually optional (though again, sometimes required depending on you lease/company arrangement) and will cover just one’s vehicle in event of a flood or fire damage, vehicle theft or vandalism as well as plain old, self-imposed dummy collisions like backing into a fire hydrant. But although comprehensive vehicle coverage for your vehicle is not mandated by law (vehicle owners are welcome to foot an entire repair or writeoff bill themselves), it is usually a good idea for newer or more expensive vehicles, especially on these:

Vehicles with the highest comprehensive claim costs:

2006 Hummer H2

2009 Toyota Highlander 4WD

2008 Audi Q7 AWD

2009 Toyota Venza AWD

2006 Subaru Impreza WRX & WRX STi

Vehicles with the lowest comprehensive claim costs:

1998 Ford Escort

1998 Chevrolet Metro Sedan

1998 Buick Skylark

1997 Chevrolet Cavalier Sedan

1998 Chevrolet Metro Hatchback

THEFT

Whether with a new car or older one, insurers also consider how likely a vehicle is to be stolen — not just for desirability, though that surely plays a part, but for ease of jacking (jackability?).

Theft insurance is usually an optional clause within a comprehensive automobile coverage plan. Some people skip theft insurance because their car is a beater and not worth stealing (or getting back), or they’re convinced their car is theftproof, which is never quite true. Still, here are the two ends of the thievability spectrum:

Vehicles with the highest theft frequency rates:

2000 Honda Civic SiR

1999 Honda Civic SiR

2002 Cadillac Escalade

2004 Cadillac Escalade

2005 Acura RSX Type S

Vehicles with the lowest theft frequency rates:

1999 Ford Escort Wagon

2004 Saturn LS2 Sedan

2002 Ford Thunderbird Convertible

2006 Ford Crown Victoria/ Mercury Grand Marquis

2004 Hyundai XG350

Of course, in addition to all the statistical information about your vehicle, your premiums are determined by other factors.

Your personal driving record is probably the biggest variable when shopping for automobile insurance; if you speed a lot, crash a lot or show a habit of drinking and driving, then you can expect to pay more than a calm, unhurried teetotaller does. And where you live will have an effect on rates, as mentioned, not just locally but nationally.

Different provinces have different theft rates, congested cities generally tend to have higher collision rates, and different regions of the country have different environmental factors in play — long icy winters, steep mountain passes and flatland prairie. This means, ironically, that an owner of a ‘98 Ford Escort could still pay more for insurance than someone with a ‘06 Hummer H2.

Moreover, despite data available through the IBC, each insurance company and their corresponding underwriters often rate vehicles contrarily — sometimes with little apparent reasoning. To use a personal example from the motorcycle world, a few years ago I found that company X rated my 250cc cruiser the same as a 250cc sport bike, but company Y noted the distinction between intended use and had specific ratings for each, resulting in lower premiums for me.

The take-away is to use the data available as a guideline and do additional research independently as it relates to your personal situation.

Fortunately, here in the Internet age your insurance research can include online, real-time quoting tools such as those found at kanetix.ca, which allows you to plug in some basic personal information and then toy around with different makes and models to see how each rates within your personal driver profile. Check it out.

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IAN LAW

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

I just returned from a wonderful drive to Sudbury. The fall colours in Muskoka were spectacular and the weather was perfect.

The traffic was relatively light for a weekend but I still noticed some motorists pushing their “luck barrier” by not driving with common sense.

There was more than one incident of cottagers or fishermen towing boats on trailers or campers at speeds that were well over the speed limit but more importantly at speeds that would have put them and the rest of us in grave danger if anything went awry. To make matters worse they were also following much too closely.

Anyone driving a vehicle towing a trailer needs to keep these facts in mind.

The more mass you add to your vehicle such as a trailer or equipment in the trunk or truck bed, the less efficient your brakes are and the more the vehicle’s agility or handling suffers. In other words, your ability to stop in time or avoid a collision is drastically reduced.

Some trailers have a braking system that can assist the towing vehicle’s brakes but they do not work as efficiently as those of the tow vehicle.

Even with this added system, any vehicle towing a trailer will stop in noticeably longer stopping distances than that vehicle would on its own. In an emergency braking scenario, the tow vehicle will be pushed to a longer stopping distance by the added weight of the trailer and even more so as the weight of the trailer and load increases.

If the trailer has no brakes or poorly operating brakes, they will also push the tow vehicle to much longer stopping distances.

Remember, a vehicle’s braking distances can easily double in length when towing a trailer.

Another braking issue is that of heat.

When a braking system is pushed to its limits as when towing, it generates a tremendous amount of heat. This added heat can cause a brake system to fade with only a few repeated braking cycles. Most tow vehicles will suffer brake fade after only a few repeated hard stops from highway speeds without the extra work of trying to stop a trailer, too.

Add the extra mass of trying to stop a trailer too and you may only get two hard stops before brake fade sets in.

This greatly reduced braking efficiency is coupled with the fact that in any evasive manoeuvres the trailer will tend to keep the tow vehicle travelling in a straight line.

Since the trailer does not have wheels that can steer, as the tow vehicle begins to change direction, the trailer will want to travel in a straight line and can push the rear of the tow vehicle into an oversteer situation or rear end skid. This is also referred to as “jackknifing.”

Trailer tires are usually of smaller diameter than that of the tow vehicle. That means they turn at a faster rate at a given speed compared to the vehicle’s tires. At high speeds it can over heat the wheel bearings and cause a failure. If the wheel bearing fails, the wheel can leave the trailer and send it out of control.

Every motorist who will be bringing the toys home from the cottage these next few weekends and will have a trailer in tow should remember these simple towing tips:

1. Slow down. When towing a trailer the driver should keep their speeds at the posted speed limit. Other vehicles may be travelling faster but if they do not have a trailer in tow, they will stop a lot sooner that the vehicle with the trailer. You may be able to drive at a higher speed but you cannot stop safely from a higher speed. The added bonus is the money you will save by using a lot less fuel and brakes. My favourite saying is: “Any fool can drive fast. Smart drivers know when not to.”

2. Drive in the right hand lane. All slower traffic should be in the right lane and this will also give the driver the option of using the shoulder of the road in an emergency.

3. Leave yourself extra room for the longer stopping distances. It is OK if someone cuts in front of you and drives in your buffer zone. Just make a simple adjustment to your speed by slowing slightly and soon your safe braking zone will return. The extra braking distance can help you to reduce the load on the brakes and prevent brake fade.

4. Do not overload your trailer or tow vehicle by trying to carry too much. It is safer to make two trips and reduce the load than to risk tire blowouts or loss or control from overloading.

5. Check your trailer tires for the correct pressure and for wear. Trailer lights and electrics should also be checked before each trip. The tow vehicle’s hitch should also be inspected as well as the safety chains and the ball latch.

These simple common sense tips will help ensure you and your family are around for another season of cottage country fun for next year.

What do professional drivers do daily that most other drivers don’t? They perform a “walk-around” check to spot potential hazards and make sure their vehicles are roadworthy.

While daily walk-around checks for all drivers might be excessive, an occasional outside visual inspection of your vehicle can identify problems early. This can help keep you safe, and possibly avert tickets, breakdowns and tow charges.

You don’t need to be a technical expert to perform a walk-around check. You drive your vehicle everyday, so you’re most familiar with what sights, sounds and smells are normal for your vehicle, and which ones aren’t and should be brought to the attention of your mechanic.

As you approach your car, look at all sides. Do you notice any new damage? For example, if you have a fresh door ding, and the car next to you has corresponding paint transfer on the edge of their door, you’ve just saved yourself the repair costs by catching the culprit of this misdeed, rather than just obliviously driving away.

Next, look at your tires. If any are unusually low, check for a puncture. If you see a nail in the tread, don’t pull it out — it’s acting as a cork. Reinflate the tire using an inflator or nearest gas station air pump, then drive directly (avoiding highways) to an auto garage to have it fixed.

Most small punctures caught early can be mended, unless it’s in the side wall. But, continuous driving on an underinflated tire, particularly at high speed, can cause extreme wear and result in a blowout. Tires normally lose some pressure over time, so it’s a good idea to check inflation pressure periodically.

Front tires will wear faster at the outside edges, but any other unusual tire wear patterns signal alignment or balance issues.

If you spot any fluid leaks where you normally park overnight, note the fluid colour and advise your mechanic. No leaks are normal, except water dripping from the air conditioner on a hot day.
Once a month or so, check that all lights and signals are working. This could save you a ticket.

If you don’t mind going under the hood, check essential fluid levels (oil, transmission, coolant, brake, power steering) periodically.

Of course, this is just a sample checklist. You can customize your walk-around inspection with additional items as you please.

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Toronto commuters’ stress and anger levels are soaring, a global survey of the pain of road travel has found, but our ills still pale in comparison to Mexico City.

The capital of Mexico ranked the worst out of 20 cities for commuting, based on interviews with 8,042 commuters in those cities. Montreal ranked the best out of 20.

The 2011 IBM Commuter Pain survey ranked Toronto among the best cities for driving (the city came in at a relatively low 16th), but GTA drivers also reported big jumps in frustration, anger and damaging effects on their work or schooling.

Anger levels in those behind the wheel on Toronto roads leapt to 29 per cent in the 2011 survey, compared with 14 per cent in 2010.

Stress levels skyrocketed: up 40 per cent this year, compared with 14 per cent last year, putting Toronto in the same agitation league as commuters in New York and Los Angeles and worse than London.

Nearly 30 per cent of Torontonians told IBM this year that their rotten commute coloured their performance at work or school, compared with only 17 per cent the year before.

Still, 23 per cent of the Toronto drivers questioned did say commuting in Greater Toronto had improved in the last year, a marked improvement from only 8 per cent reporting that in 2010.

And Toronto didn’t even make it onto the list of the most frustrated drivers who grapple with delays of more than two hours. Mexico City, Beijing and Shenzhen all cool their wheels in jams and detours and delays for that long.

In Moscow, 45 per cent of drivers reported being stuck in traffic for more than three hours; in Nairobi, 35 per cent sat there for that long “Traffic congestion is down on a global level, while the pain of commuting is increasing,” said Vinodh Swaminathan, IBM’s director of intelligent transportation systems.

Economic weakness and high fuel prices were two reasons for the drop in traffic congestion since the survey was first conducted four years ago, Swaminathan said. Huge investments in roads and public transit infrastructure by emerging economic powers China and India also helped a bit.

Mexico City — which had the highest driver pain index of 108, compared to Montreal’s 21 — intends to spend more than $2 billion in coming years to ease its colossal traffic problem, Swaminathan said in an interview with the Associated Press.

“You cannot build your way out of congestion. It has to be a balance of infrastructure improvements and technology,” he said.

Beijing and Shenzhen drivers were the angriest in the survey and Milanese the most stressed, followed closely by Mexico Cityites.

While more than 70 per cent of commuters in Los Angeles, Nairobi and Johannesburg drive by themselves to and from school and work, more commuters overall in London, Paris, Madrid, New York, Buenos Aires and Singapore took trains.

In what may be the real explanation of the French paradox (rich food, slim waistlines), 11 per cent of Parisian commuters walked, far more than any other city.

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As I go through the news sites online, I have found the the number of reports of children caught driving is increasing. And to make matters worst, in most cases these children are not your typical joyriders – they are kids that have been instructed by their parents to drive!

Now, I understand that some parents like to take their teenaged children to an empty parking lot to show them how a car works, but when you hear stories about children (some under the age of 10) caught driving on the street, there has to be something wrong with this picture.

There are several reasons why children are not allowed to drive on our roads, and it seems that some people are beginning to forget what those reasons are.

Children Are Small

At 5’3″ myself, I understand that vehicles can accommodate shorter people. However, in most cases children under 10 are NOT 5′ tall, and therefore will have extreme difficulty with viewing their surroundings. As a result, they will not drive as accurately as someone with better visibility, and in turn could cause a serious accident.

Muscle Control/Reaction Time

In younger children (under 10) their muscles have not fully developed. As a result, children do not have the accuracy of an adult. As the child hits puberty, they are often dealing with growth spurts that can affect the child’s reaction time. When a child is behind the wheel it’s likely that their reaction time would not be that of an experienced adult driver.

Background Knowledge

When I was 12, my father started showing me how a car worked, and teaching me the rules of the road. I was always interested, so I learned the basic rules of the road early. While this does happen in some families, it is rare. As a result, most kids don’t know that a double yellow line means, or what happens if they hit a specific button in the car. This can cause serious problems as would any other driver not fully understanding the rules of the road.

Overall, children aren’t ready to drive. In some cases even teenagers who are old enough to get their license aren’t ready. It’s all based on the person’s comfort level, and being thrown into this situation by your parents is not something I would wish on a child.