American teens are less keen to get behind the wheel once they come of age. According to numbers from the Federal Highway Administration , only approximately 61 percent of 18-year-olds in the U.S. had a driver’s license in 2018, compared to 80.4 percent in 1983. While age restrictions vary by state and not all 16-year-olds can be license holders, the number of 16-year-old licensed drivers has also significantly decreased from 46.2 percent in 1983 to 25.6 percent in 2018.
Despite the holdups, the number of older adults holding a driver’s license in the U.S. has not decreased significantly. In 1983, 94.9 percent of 35-39-year-olds had a license, compared with 90.9 percent in 2018.
tougher rules for younger drivers as well as the availability of ridesharing and ride-hailing apps in many places are reasons why teenagers delay getting their license.
