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Teens are waiting progressively longer to get their driver’s license
By: Danica D’oria
Junior Audri Turner states that she has simply “lost motivation” to get her driver’s license. “I have a bunch of friends who will always drive me anyway.” From loss of motivation to the tediousness of driver’s training, it seems that more and more teens are waiting longer to get their licenses. According to 2019 data from the Federal Highway Administration, in 1983, 46.2% of 16-year-olds were licensed drivers, while in 2019, only 25.1% of 16-year-olds were licensed drivers; that’s a 21.1% drop in 36 years. What could be the cause of this massive decline in teen drivers?
In our quarterly survey, we asked DHS students, “Did you/do you plan on getting your driver’s license the day you turn 16.” Over 200 students responded; 65.7% said yes, while 34.3% said no. That’s about one third of students who did not or do not plan to become licensed on their 16th birthday. According to a 2013 survey conducted by the AAA Foundation, 34% of teens decided to wait to get their license because of nervousness about driving. This data compares pretty closely to the data we collected from DHS. However, nervousness isn’t the only reason that today’s teens are slow to get on the road. On top of simple things like busy schedules, jobs, or lack of motivation, car costs have skyrocketed, especially since the pandemic. According to Kelley Blue Book, in 2019, the average used car price was $19,863. In 2021, it was $28,205. When you account for factors such as median household income, car insurance costs, car maintenance, and number of children in a family, the money adds up; some simply can’t afford to give their teen a car.
Additionally, COVID-19 caused a considerable disruption in the flow of everyone’s lives. Many teens who are of driving age would have needed to start the process right around the time of the pandemic. This could be a primary factor that has contributed to the lack of motivation that many DHS students have described regarding getting licensed.
Whether it’s a lack of motivation, the cost of ownership, or the lengthiness of the process, teens are ultimately waiting longer and longer to get their licenses.
HANNAH KANGAS, 16, 5’9”
Got her license a couple of days after her 16th birthday because she needed to drive herself due to extracurricular activities. “My parents were done driving me around.”
Agrees that teens are waiting longer to get their licenses citing extensive driver’s training, parental distrust, and overall cost to own and operate a vehicle. “It’s just too costly of a task, making it an unnecessary thing to waste time and money on.”
EVE LUPA, 17, 5’6”
Got her license 19 days after her 16th birthday. She wanted to get her license because she wanted to be able to “have free will for where and when I go places.”
Disagrees that teens are waiting longer to get their licenses as she doesn’t know many people who wait very long to get their license. “I also know a lot of people who didn’t get their license because they were scared to drive or other things in that realm.”
ELIJAH SMITH, 17, 6’0”
Got his license the day he turned 16. He got his license right away so he could “have the freedom to go wherever, whenever.”
Agrees that teens are waiting longer to get their licenses. “I know lots of people who don’t have them [yet].”
AUDRI TURNER, 16, 5’4”
Doesn’t have a license because she “hates driving.” She also has “a bunch of friends who will always drive [her],” which made her lose motivation to become licensed.
Agreed that teens are waiting longer to get their licenses, saying it’s stressful for teens and parents and that most teens rely on others for rides.
