Number of Licensed Teen Drivers Rising
Teens are getting behind the wheel sooner — a positive trend that provides novice drivers more supervised driving time to learn safe habits.
According to a new AAA Foundation study, more than 60% of teens are getting their driver’s license before they turn 18. That’s an 11% increase since 2012 when the Foundation first studied the trend. That was a time when the country was emerging from a recession and some teens said they delayed getting their licenses because their families couldn’t afford increased costs.
“Many drivers are getting licensed before the age of 18, which means more of Generation Z is learning to drive under the protection of state graduated driver licensing programs and parental supervision,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
The study also shows that nationally, slightly more than 40.8% of teens are seeking their license at or before age 16, compared to 35.6% in 2012.
Previous AAA Foundation studies show that for every mile driven, new teen drivers ages 16-17 are three times as likely as adults to be involved in a fatal crash. But graduated licensing requirements, which place restrictions on novice drivers, help them learn the necessary skills to be safe. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have graduated licensing laws for those younger than 18.
“The fact that more teens are starting to drive at an age when they can gradually learn the necessary skills to be safe behind the wheel is great news for all drivers,” said Jennifer Ryan, AAA director of state relations.
A previous study by the AAA Foundation found that drivers first licensed at age 18 — without the benefit of graduated licensing — are more likely to be involved in a crash resulting in injuries during their first year of unaccompanied driving than new drivers licensed at any other age.
“The past trend of waiting until you turn 18 to be licensed was a concern,” Ryan said. “Many of these young drivers were getting behind the wheel with minimal knowledge or support, putting themselves and others at risk.”
The recent study also showed that teens are more likely to seek out a driver’s license if they live outside of a large city. Midwestern teens are more likely to be licensed at younger ages — with 55% getting their license at or before age 16 and 70 % before 18.
AAA recommends that all new drivers — regardless of age or location — practice driving on a variety of routes and in different weather conditions before going solo.
“Don’t let the first time that you drive in the rain or on the freeway be at a time when you’re alone,” said Dr. Bill Van Tassel, AAA manager of driver training programs.
Visit AAAFoundation.org for more information about the study.
For teen driving, AAA has a full range of tools to help prepare parents and teens throughout the learning-to-drive process. Keys2Drive provides users specific information based on where they live and offers parents an easy way to work with their teen drivers through each step, from preparing to drive (pre-permit) through the learner’s permit and driving solo for the first time.
Keys2Drive features AAA StartSmart, a series of online newsletters and webisodes based on the National Institutes of Health’s Checkpoints program, which has been scientifically shown to help parents improve teen driver safety and is being offered nationally for the first time.
For interactive tools, resources, or more information, visit TeenDriving.AAA.com.
