A recent study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reveals the majority of American teens today are delaying getting a driver’s license, and from conversations heard around the county, Prince William County teens are supporting that trend.
These findings mark a significant drop from 20 years ago when data showed more than two-thirds of teens were licensed by the time they turned 18.
"Less than half (44 percent) of teens obtain a driver’s license within 12 months of the minimum age for licensing in their state, and just over half (54 percent) are licensed before their 18th birthday," the study said.
Prince William County teens say there is no single reason for the drop.
"I failed twice, and if I failed again, I would have needed to take a class, so I postponed taking the class for a while so that I could study more," Emma, 17, from Bristow, said. "Those driving tests are hard!"
Others attribute their lack of motivation to engage in the application process to external factors, such as the influence of their parents.
“I got my permit two months behind schedule and my license four months behind schedule. My parents did not trust me to drive by myself for a long time–they are extra cautious–so I haven’t started driving alone until recently," Clifton, 17, from Woodbridge, said.
While Sarai, a 16-year-old from Woodbridge, claims she is waiting until she is a year older because it is safer.
“I got my permit a year late. My parents told me that teenagers who get their permit and license at least a year later than the minimal amount allowed by the state have fewer accidents and infractions,” she said.
However, according to the AAA, delaying the licensure process a year would actually be detrimental; they said it is the limiting of additional passengers that will ultimately reduce accidents.
"Novice drivers are just that–novices, rookies, beginners– thus they need as much focused practice behind the wheel as possible before they gain the freedom to drive without any restrictions,” said Martha Mitchell Meade, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Manager of Public and Government Affairs. “Statistics prove that limiting passengers for new drivers reduces their crash risk; thus, this law is one more positive step forward in the fight to save precious young lives in Virginia.”
Causing concern among safety experts is that young drivers are missing the benefit of more parental supervision, extensive practice and gaining experience under less risky conditions through graduated drivers licensing (GDL) programs.
“With one in three teens waiting to get their license until they turn 18, there’s a segment of this generation missing opportunities to learn under the safeguards that GDL provides,” said Peter Kissinger, President and CEO of AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
"AAA has worked for nearly two decades to recommend that all states adopt and enforce a comprehensive 3-stage (learner’s permit, intermediate/probationary license, full/unrestricted license) graduated driver licensing (GDL) system for novice teen drivers. These programs require minimum holding periods and practice requirements for teens with learner’s permits, followed by restricted licenses that limit driving at night or with peer passengers," Meade said. "These requirements help novice drivers safely gain the skills and experience needed to become safe adult drivers."
Once teens experience the freedom driving affords them, some regret the delay.
“The main reason why I waited to get my license was because I did not have the required driving hours necessary to obtain it–It took about four more months than it should have," Ryan, 17, of Bristow, said. "Now I drive all the time. Calling it freedom would be an understatement as I am able to accomplish so much more in a day than I used to, just because I have a car."
Renee Ordoobadi and Samantha Scarola contributed to this article.
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