Fewer teens desperate to start driving — is the Internet the reason why?
By STEFANO ESPOSITO and Erika Wurst Sun-Times Media January 23, 2012 7:54PM
Rachel Berry is a senior at West Aurora High School.
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Updated: March 1, 2012 8:05AM
Waubonsie Valley High School sophomore Manual Quay turns 16 in July, and — surely — all the Aurora teen can think about is getting his driver’s license, sliding behind the steering wheel and driving as far away from his parents as possible.
Right?
Nope.
“Driving is really not that big of a deal,” Quay said, after his mom drove him to school last week. “I’m in no rush.”
And neither, it seems, are plenty of other American 16-year-olds.
In 1983, about 46 percent of Americans that age had a driver’s license, but by 2008, only 31 percent had one, according to a recent study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Older teens are also driving less: The number of 18-year-olds with licenses fell from 80 percent in 1983 to 65 percent in 2008, while the number of 17-year-olds on the road dropped from 69 percent to 50 percent.
In fact, the number of drivers all the way up to 29 has dropped, according to the study, which is based on data from the Federal Highway Administration.
Study co-author Michael Sivak says the Internet may be a big reason for the drop.
“Virtual contact through electronic means reduces the need for actual contact,” Sivak said, adding jokingly, “My favorite characterization of the social-media explanation (with some anecdotal evidence for it) is that ‘driving interferes with texting.’”
Concerns about preserving the environment, the recent economic downturn and a migration of young people to the cities — where public transportation is more readily available — likely are all contributing to the lack of interest in driving, Sivak said.
The costs involved in driving, of course, are a major factor for many teens and their families.
Several area high school driver’s education teachers said school districts in recent years have increased fees to $400 or more for the behind-the-wheel portion of the class.
Gas prices seem to be constantly on the rise, and car insurance isn’t exactly cheap for teen drivers, leading some parents to delay the process.
With his headphones on and bundled up tightly, Waubonsie Valley Senior Malik Spikener walked to school last week, bracing himself for the winter cold.
When he turned 16, Spikener said he was determined to get his license, but that didn’t mean he was free to roam the roads.
Without a car of his own, Spikener said it’s a lot more difficult to get around. Gas and insurance costs, on top of snagging an affordable vehicle, are obstacles standing in this senior’s way of road trips and relaxing summer time drives.
“It’s the recession,” he said. “We don’t have a second car, but when I turned 16, I said, ‘This is what I’m going to do.’”
Another Waubonsie Valley student, freshman Tom Roy, has just 10 months to go before he turns 16 and earns the privilege to jump behind the wheel. But this teen is in no hurry to do so.
“I haven’t really thought about (getting my driver’s license),” he said, hopping out of his parent’s car.
“I’m really nervous,” he said about the big day. “I really want to get used to (driving) before I take on anything hard.”
He said the rise in social media as a way to keep in contact with friends didn’t play a role in his reluctance to get his license.
While Rachel Berry’s older siblings were counting down the days until their Sweet 16, Berry wasn’t as anxious.
“I waited until I was 16 and a half (to take my test),” the West Aurora High School senior said. And some of her friends are still without their licenses, she said.
“It takes a lot of work, and a lot of practice,” she said.
Quay, the Waubonsie Valley sophomore, began driver’s education this semester, and with his parents footing the steep bill, he’s not worried — yet — about the monetary costs that come with the privilege.
In the long run, Quay said it’s not about getting where he needs to go that excites him about driving, but the cruising that has piqued his interest.
“I’m just excited to out and drive around,” he said when asked where his first ride would take him.
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