In New Jersey, the 16-year-old daughter of a local short track racer took a five-minute driving lesson on a golf cart through their yard before turning over the keys. “That’s it, I’m done. Don’t like it,” Kat Wilson told their father.
The teenage rite of passage of rushing to the DMV on your birthday to get that plastic card that represents freedom has changed dramatically over the last 30 years. Data collected from the Federal Highway Administration and analyzed by Green Car Congress showed that in 2018 approximately 61% of 18-year-olds in the U.S. had a driver’s license, down from 80% percent in 1983. The number of 16-year-olds with licenses decreased from 46% to 25% in the same period.
The trend that began with millennials has been amplified by Generation Z, with teens citing myriad reasons for putting off or avoiding getting a driver's license. Some prefer more environmentally-friendly transportation options, some found driving too stressful and some just don’t care about cars.
The pandemic closed New York State motor vehicle offices, but Ian Hoffman said he had his permit but could take the train into the city when needed. He’s headed this fall to his freshman year at the University of Miami with no pressing need to legally formalize his ability to drive. In suburban Boston, high school senior Celeste Robinson has relied on friends with cars or public transportation.
“There is the question of independence, at least that’s what I’m told all the time,” Robinson said. “But I’m an anxious person and driving does seem intimidating to me. I’ve tried it and it just feels very hard. And I do love public transportation, so I plan things very much in advance and make sure I can get a train there.”
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