Close Menu
Eden Prairie Local News
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Wednesday, May 21
    • About
      • About EPLN
      • Team
      • EPLN in the News
      • Policies
    • Contact
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Threads LinkedIn
    Subscribe
    Eden Prairie Local News
    • Home
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Public Safety
    • City
    • Calendar
    • Subscribe
    • Donate
    • More
      • Construction
      • Outdoors
      • Politics
      • Health
      • Spirituality
      • Community Service
      • Legacy
      • Obituaries
      • Arts
      • Family
      • Holidays
      • Letter to Editor
      • Listen
      • Jobs
    Eden Prairie Local News
    Home»Public Safety»Teens delaying driver’s licenses in growing trend
    Public Safety

    Teens delaying driver’s licenses in growing trend

    From environmental concerns to anxiety, young drivers cite diverse reasons for the wait.
    Vijay B. DixitBy Vijay B. DixitSeptember 25, 20233 Mins Read
    Adobe Stock photo
    A growing number of teens are choosing to delay obtaining their driver's licenses, influenced by factors ranging from societal pressures to personal anxieties. Adobe Stock Photo

    A growing trend is emerging among teens turning 16: many are choosing not to get a driver’s license immediately.

    A study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute found that only about a quarter of 16-year-olds had a driver’s license in 2014, a 50% decline from 1983.

    Environmental concerns and the rising costs of car ownership might influence such decisions. Biking, public transportation, and ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft provide affordable and convenient alternatives.

    Why they’re not driving

    Peer influence plays a significant role in teen decision-making, as Sarah-Jayne Blackmore noted in her TED Talk on the teenage brain. If their friends aren’t driving, there’s less pressure to get a license.

    Advertisement
    Ad for Washburn McReavy

    Another pressing reason is anxiety. About 8% of children and teens experience an anxiety disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Anxiety plays a role in some teens’ decisions to delay getting licenses. Nearly 25% of teens surveyed by Zebra, the insurance comparison website, said they lacked a license due to a fear of driving.

    Eden Prairie Local News (EPLN) spoke with local teens who postponed getting their licenses. At their request, EPLN chose not to identify them.

    One college student, who turned 16 during the COVID-19 pandemic, said, “Even if there was no COVID, I would have delayed it.” He was focused on college applications during his junior year of high school, adding, “(A driver’s) license can wait, college applications won’t.”

    Another student waited until he was 18 due to a traumatic experience. While riding with his father, they were struck by a motorbike speeding on the wrong side. The incident prevented him from getting behind the wheel for two years.

    One teen, an only child, said her parents persuaded her to wait until she was 18 before getting a license. They also influenced her two cousins, who plan to delay their licenses until they turn 18.

    Another teen got her permit at 15 but said, “I don’t have my license yet.”

    She described a harrowing driving lesson on a highway: “The instructor made me change like four or five lanes over all the way to the left and then tried to get (me to) go all the way back immediately to get an exit. I wound up missing the exit because I didn’t want to cross four or five lanes at one time. And the instructor was not very happy with that.” She also recalled another incident in Minneapolis with the same instructor, saying, “It was just a stressful experience.”

    The reasons teens delay getting licenses vary, but one message is clear: Driver-ed instructors might benefit from reflecting on these students’ experiences.

    Editor’s note: Vijay Dixit is the chairman of Shreya R. Dixit Memorial Foundation, a 501-c-3 nonprofit advocating distraction-free driving. He is also a board member of Eden Prairie Local News and a member of the EPLN Development Committee and Journalism team.

    Comments
    We offer several ways for our readers to provide feedback. Your comments are welcome on our social media posts (Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn). We also encourage Letters to the Editor; submission guidelines can be found on our Contact Us page. If you believe this story has an error or you would like to get in touch with the author, please connect with us.

    Be Informed
    Sign up for the FREE email newsletter from EPLN
    Subscribe
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleSweet music for the Eagles after homecoming win over Shakopee
    Next Article EP Dance Team welcomes 7th and 8th graders to try out; info session is Oct. 3

    More to READ

    4 Mins Read

    Eden Prairie High School program gives seniors a head start on careers

    May 21, 2025
    2 Mins Read

    Shakopee man charged in Eden Prairie sexual assault of 15-year-old girl

    May 21, 2025
    2 Mins Read

    Former Eden Prairie man sentenced for posting nude images of woman online without her consent

    May 20, 2025
    Subscribe to get EPLN in your inbox for FREE!
    Recent Articles

    Eden Prairie High School program gives seniors a head start on careers

    May 21, 2025

    Shakopee man charged in Eden Prairie sexual assault of 15-year-old girl

    May 21, 2025

    EPHS synchronized swim team advances to state meet

    May 20, 2025

    Minnesota legislative session ends, still with a long to-do list

    May 20, 2025

    Former Eden Prairie man sentenced for posting nude images of woman online without her consent

    May 20, 2025
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    INN Network Member Guidestar Seal
    Eden Prairie Local News is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization EIN 85-4248265 | Copyright © 2020-2025
    • About
    • Policies
    • Jobs
    • Contact
    • Advertising
    • Subscribe
    • Donate

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.