Why Gen Z Teens Are in No Rush to Get Their Driver’s Licenses
A few decades ago, a driver’s license was just about the most exciting thing you could offer a teenager. That little card offered a tantalizing taste of freedom. Passing the road test was a rite of passage for young adults eager to live life on their own terms; failing was a plot point in coming-of-age movies like “License to Drive” (1988, starring Coreys Haim and Feldman) and “Clueless” (1995).
These days, instructors like Batey have to go to great lengths — like invoking video games — to pique young people’s interest in getting behind the wheel.
Just over a quarter of American 16-year-olds had their driver’s licenses in 2024, a 20-point drop from the early 1980s, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
