08 Oct Many Teens in No Rush to Hit the Road

(Eliott Reyna on Unsplash)

By Anushka Devanathan

Getting a driver’s license has long been a teenage rite of passage. But now, teenagers are starting to say getting their driver’s license can wait.

In fact, the percentage of teenagers who have a driver’s license has decreased from 64.4% in 1998 to 39.5% in 2021, according to the Federal Highway Administration, or FHWA.

Personally, I’ve always had the luxury of my parents driving me where I wanted to go, so I’ve never had the need for one myself. Despite that, I still want a driver’s license, not because I need to drive myself but knowing I have the option to do so. From my experience in high school, that has been one of the major reasons for teens trying to get their license as well. The freedom of being able to drive where you want, not being dependent on other people for rides, has long made the possession of a driver’s license a moment of accomplishment for many.

“I think being able to drive gives you a lot of freedom, and it kind of unlocks a part of the world that is necessary to unlock as you get older,” said Mahika Katariya, a 16-year-old junior at Dougherty Valley High School, where I am also a student. “I plan on driving myself to school, being able to go to the store without relying on my parents, being to help out by taking my brother places, and overall, it would make my life much more convenient.”

However, more and more students are deciding to wait longer before getting their license. Some students who have decided to get their driver’s license may have not gotten it entirely for themselves. 

“I have my driver’s license, but I wouldn’t have gotten it as early as I did if it wasn’t because of my parents,” said Hebe Wang, a 17-year-old senior at DVHS.“That way, my parents won’t have to bring me to school. They can lighten their own load, and it expands the amount of contribution I can do within the family.”

Junior year is one of the most difficult years in high school. Students are focused on weighted classes, extracurriculars, college apps and more. 

“This is my junior year. I’ve taken a lot of weighted classes, and I’m fighting for my life,” Lal said. “I just don’t have the time.”

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This makes trying to get a driver’s license — while juggling everything else — especially hard. 

“I was too busy. I did want it [driver’s license], but with college coming, you have to deal with extracurriculars, you have to deal with your classes, you have to figure out how you’re going to go around, doing things,” Wang said. “I just didn’t consider it as high of a priority as my parents did.” 

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This recent stretch isn’t the first time the number of teen drivers has dropped notably.

Back in the late 1990s, the percentage of teens with a license plummeted from 64.4% in 1998 to 40.7% in 1999, according to the FHWA. From there, the number fluctuated a bit but generally held steady in the 40-percent range until it dropped again, into the 30-percent range for three years starting in 2019.

Another major reason for teens not getting their licenses is the expense. As a teen, paying for and maintaining a car can be difficult, but it’s necessary if you get your license. Other teens decide not to get their license due to the environmental concerns a car brings and simply prefer to walk and ride a bike. 

While getting a driver’s license brings new freedom and opportunities, it offers just as many new fears and challenges. This makes getting a driver’s license intimidating, leading many to prefer delaying it. 

“I personally don’t feel like I’m ready to drive, so I’ve been postponing driver’s ed,” said Anjani “AJ” Lal, a 16-year-old junior at DVHS. “When I’ve driven in parking lots before, I keep getting the gas and brake pedal mixed up, which is scary.”

That fear is indeed a significant reason why Lal doesn’t want to get behind the wheel just yet.

“Driving is really scary; it’s terrifying, because you’re in reference to another car,” she said, “and when you’re driving, you’re not driving alone.”

Although some students are still eager for their license, there are many who want to wait. According to data from the Department of Transportation, the number of licensed young drivers decreased by 4.7% from 2019 to 2020. 

However, things may be swinging back in the other direction. Statistics from the FHWA in 2022, the most recent available, show that 49.7% of teens 19 and under in the U.S. have a driver’s license.