In the United States, there are up to 242 million licensed drivers. Compared to last year’s 236 million drivers, that is a large increase. Nearly ninety-one percent of American adults were estimated to have driver’s licenses in 2024. Despite so many adults driving, many teens are opting out of it, which I do not recommend due to all of the benefits and relief driving provides.
The primary and most important benefit to driving is how easily the driver can access point B from point A. With cars, a one hour commute by public transportation can easily become fifteen-twenty minutes. The convenience of driving is a massive benefit to teens. They can go anywhere, anytime, quickly. This allows teens to be better at arriving at places in a timely manner. According to the article “Honk, Honk! The Benefits of Teen Driving” written by Ashvik Nacham, the convenience is also capable of opening up job opportunities for the driver, creating financial stability for themselves down the road.
A second factor is the mental relief driving provides as well. To many, driving is therapeutic. The article “The Road to Wellness: the Therapeutic Benefits of Long Drives,”provides a few reasons. The first being the liberty it provides when days can be filled with schedules and restrictions. While driving there’s the choice to decide which roads to take and the pace to drive at. Additionally the driver can be alone in a quiet space to clear their mind. For teens this can be especially useful in situations where extra tranquility is needed. Last but not least, driving can peak interest in adventuring. With the city, and even the world in your fingertips, places you have never been to become accessible. New visually appealing areas are discovered which can be very exciting and pleasuring.
Although as much as I’d advocate for teens to drive, I can also see why many may not be interested. For one, driving is expensive. Gas and insurance are necessities, which can become large expenses without a stable source of income or assistance. In California alone, gas can be fifty to sixty-five dollars monthly due to recent inflation. Insurance can be up to over 110 dollars monthly. Not to mention repairs can be expensive as well. While there’s no average monthly repair cost data, the AAA organization recommends saving at least fifty dollars every month, and 100 to fully minimize getting into unnecessary debt. With all this being said, at the minimum a student can expect to pay close to 200 dollars, and around 260 at max. This can be a lot of money that students may not have, steering them from the interest of driving.
Another important reason to consider why teens aren’t driving, is the fear of accidents. In 2022, teens aged fifteen to nineteen made up 3.9 percent of all drivers. That same year they accounted for seven percent of fatal accidents. That being nearly 2,880 crashes per day. Unfortunately, car accidents also were the leading cause for people aged fifteen-twenty-four. Obviously this could strike fear in many students, persuading them into more safer means of transportation.
As a result, I strongly believe that when the student or teen not only has the funds to support their driving expenses, but also experience and caution to drive, then they should definitely get their license for their own benefits.
