Getting a driver's license has long been a rite of passage for teens. They're typically in a hurry to get it as soon as they can, even before they're out of high school if possible. And parents have generally been more than happy to help their teens get their license because it meant less driving for them.
Why not switch roles and have your kid chauffeur you around from time to time? It was an opportunity to have more independence. If you were lucky enough to have parents who bought you your first car, it was even more freedom. You could drive to a friend's, get yourself to work or football practice.
According to the Wall Street Journal , 87.3% of 19-year-olds in 1983 had their driver's license. By 2022, that number dropped nearly 20 points down to 68.
7%. What changed? Do teens not want as much freedom from their parents as they once did? Do they not want the responsibility that operating a motor vehicle requires? Or are they just that lazy? None of the above, in fact. In case you haven't looked around lately, prices in virtually every industry are up.
The average price for a new car is considerably higher than it used to be. Let's not even look at gas prices or the cost of insurance. Then there are the parents to consider.
Some parents simply aren't prioritizing it, preferring their children to rely on them to get around over public transportation, while others are too busy to teach their kids to drive. Between 2022 and 2024, new and used car sales have seen a decline of 0.1.