End of the Road?

Getting behind the wheel is something Liam McGlohon is in no rush to do. The 19-year-old from Ann Arbor, Michigan, says he doesn’t intend to apply for a driver’s license for “at least the next 30 years.”

“I definitely thought about it for a while,” he says, “but I came to the conclusion—because I know myself, and I know driving would be a huge source of stress in my life—that I kind of just don’t want to have to deal with it at this point.”

McGlohon’s feelings about driving are emblematic of a lot of teenagers’ these days. Only 25 percent of 16-year-olds have driver’s licenses today, compared with 43 percent in 1997, according to data from the Federal Highway Administration. Over the same period, the percentage of 17-year-olds with licenses has also fallen by nearly 20 points, and the percentage of licensed 18-year-olds has dropped by 14 points (see graph, below).

In a nation that has long romanticized the automobile as a sleek symbol of American prosperity and freedom, obtaining a driver’s license has typically been seen as a rite of passage, as well as a cherished ticket to independence.

So what’s causing the drop in young drivers—and will it last?

Getting behind the wheel is something Liam McGlohon is in no rush to do. The 19-year-old from Ann Arbor, Michigan, says he doesn’t intend to apply for a driver’s license for “at least the next 30 years.”

“I definitely thought about it for a while,” he says, “but I came to the conclusion—because I know myself, and I know driving would be a huge source of stress in my life—that I kind of just don’t want to have to deal with it at this point.”

McGlohon’s feelings about driving are emblematic of a lot of teenagers’ these days. Only 25 percent of 16-year-olds have driver’s licenses today. This is compared to 43 percent in 1997, according to data from the Federal Highway Administration. Over the same period, the percentage of 17-year-olds with licenses has also fallen by nearly 20 points. The percentage of licensed 18-year-olds has also dropped by 14 points (see graph, below).

The automobile has long been seen as a sleek symbol of American prosperity and freedom. Obtaining a driver’s license has typically been seen as a rite of passage. It was also a cherished ticket to independence.

So what’s causing the drop in young drivers? Will it last?

Workers and consumers are the fuel that makes our economic engine run. A company’s success hinges on its workers, who create the goods and services it sells to make money. When the labor market tightens, workers may demand and receive higher wages. This raises costs for companies, which in turn might pass those costs on to consumers, sometimes leading to a period of inflation, or rising prices.

When workers make money, they’re able to spend it as consumers. According to Financial Times editor Colby Smith, consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of the U.S. economy.

“The consumer is the be-all and end-all when thinking about the health of the economy,” Smith says.

Workers and consumers are the fuel that makes our economic engine run. A company’s success hinges on its workers, who create the goods and services it sells to make money. When the labor market tightens, workers may demand and receive higher wages. This raises costs for companies. The companies might pass those costs on to consumers. This can sometimes lead to a period of inflation, or rising prices.

When workers make money, they’re able to spend it as consumers. According to Financial Times editor Colby Smith, consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of the U.S. economy.

“The consumer is the be-all and end-all when thinking about the health of the economy,” Smith says.

Kenneth Cushman, a 17-year-old from San Francisco, says he hasn’t gotten his license yet because of how “difficult” and “time-consuming” the process has become.

Since the 1990s, states have tried to improve driving safety by requiring teens to rack up more adult-supervised hours on the road—and restricting them from driving at night and carrying young passengers—before they can graduate from a learner’s permit to a full license. As a result, many teens may be taking longer to meet the requirements or waiting until they’re older, when the rules are less stringent.

Technology could also be playing a role in the downward trend, says Brian Taylor, the director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UCLA.

“People just aren’t getting out as much,” he says.

Social media, video calls, and online gaming have enabled people to interact without meeting in person. Video streaming services and food delivery apps mean fewer trips to movie theaters and restaurants. And for those who do want to venture out, ride-sharing apps, such as Uber and Lyft, have made it easier to get around without a license.

Kenneth Cushman, a 17-year-old from San Francisco, says he hasn’t gotten his license yet because of how “difficult” and “time-consuming” the process has become.

Since the 1990s, states have tried to improve driving safety by requiring teens to rack up more adult-supervised hours on the road before going from a learner’s permit to a full license. They have also restricted teens from driving at night and carrying young passengers. As a result, many teens may be taking longer to meet the requirements or waiting until they’re older, when the rules are less strict.

Technology could also be playing a role in the downward trend, says Brian Taylor, the director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UCLA.

“People just aren’t getting out as much,” he says.

Social media, video calls, and online gaming have enabled people to interact without meeting in person. Video streaming services and food delivery apps mean fewer trips to movie theaters and restaurants. Ride-sharing apps, such as Uber and Lyft, have made it easier to get around without a license.

Another reason may be the high price of cars and insurance, experts say. The price of a new car rose by about 30 percent from January 2020 to May 2023, according to CoPilot, a car shopping app.

McGlohon, the Michigan teenager, says he doesn’t want to drive because he has an anxiety disorder “that makes driving an additional difficulty,” and he’s opposed to America being so “car-based.”

Data suggests that on both of those fronts he may not be alone. Rates of anxiety and depression among young people have been on the rise, leading many health experts to declare a teen mental health crisis. Gen-Z’ers are also more likely to take action to help address climate change than previous generations, according to a study by Pew Research Center—and more people giving up driving could have a big impact, as transportation is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S.

Another reason may be the high price of cars and insurance. The price of a new car rose by about 30 percent from January 2020 to May 2023, according to CoPilot, a car shopping app.

McGlohon, the Michigan teenager, says he doesn’t want to drive because he has an anxiety disorder “that makes driving an additional difficulty.” He’s also opposed to America being so “car-based.”

Data suggests that on both of those fronts he may not be alone. Rates of anxiety and depression among young people have been on the rise. This led many health experts to declare a teen mental health crisis. Gen-Z’ers are also more likely to take action to help address climate change than previous generations, according to a study by Pew Research Center. More people giving up driving could have a big impact on climate change, as transportation is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S.

However, it remains to be seen whether the trend is long term or just a bump in the road, and whether young people will start driving when they get older.

Taylor, the transportation expert, points out that young Americans are delaying other things once seen as typical markers of adulthood. Research shows that they’re taking longer to move out of their parents’ homes, get married, and have children than in the past. Driving, Taylor says, could be one more thing many young people are postponing.

For Leo Kessler, a 17-year-old from San Francisco, the pandemic fueld his delay. He initially wanted to start learning to drive when he turned 15 and a half, but says, “I wasn’t really focused on getting a driver’s license as much” during the pandemic. He still planned to take driver’s ed this summer, though.

However, it remains to be seen whether the trend is long term or just a bump in the road, and whether young people will start driving when they get older.

Taylor, the transportation expert, points out that young Americans are delaying other things once seen as typical markers of adulthood. Research shows that they’re taking longer to move out of their parents’ homes, get married, and have children than in the past. Driving, Taylor says, could be one more thing many young people are postponing.

For Leo Kessler, a 17-year-old from San Francisco, the pandemic fueled his delay. He initially wanted to start learning to drive when he turned 15 and a half, but says, “I wasn’t really focused on getting a driver’s license as much” during the pandemic. He still planned to take driver’s ed this summer, though.

“I just like adventuring, being on the road,” he says. “It’s definitely an incentive to get a license.”

Indeed, experts say, automobiles remain a big part of American society. About three-quarters of Americans say their own car is their most commonly used mode of transportation, according to a recent survey by Statista Consumer Insights.

For that to change, Taylor says, suburbs would have to become denser, access to public transportation would need to increase, and public policy would have to disincentivize driving—for example, by eliminating free parking. But, he says, the recent trend indicates that Gen-Z’ers might be willing to go along with those changes.

“The one thing we can look at from young people delaying a lot of this,” Taylor says, “is that they’re going to be more open to getting around by means other than driving.”

“I just like adventuring, being on the road,” he says. “It’s definitely an incentive to get a license.”

Indeed, experts say, automobiles remain a big part of American society. About three-quarters of Americans say their own car is their most commonly used mode of transportation, according to a recent survey by Statista Consumer Insights.

For that to change, Taylor says, suburbs would have to become denser and access to public transportation would need to increase. Public policy would have to disincentivize driving, for example, by eliminating free parking. But, he says, the recent trend indicates that Gen-Z’ers might be willing to go along with those changes.

“The one thing we can look at from young people delaying a lot of this,” Taylor says, “is that they’re going to be more open to getting around by means other than driving.”