More and more Gen-Z’ers are delaying their driver’s licenses … but we’re helping our eighth child through the process right now! This is a step toward adult independence and a big help to the family right now … as we’ve seen time and again. This episode we’re talking about why and how we encourage our young drivers to reach for the wheel!

This podcast episode sponsored by The Ark and the Darkness.

We’re watching our eighth child going through driver’s ed and preparing for her license, and we’re realizing this is not as common as it once was. When we were teenagers, gaining that license was a major life goal, as soon as the law and the parents would allow it! While it still is for some teens, the numbers have dropped off sharply.

Researchers found the proportion of high school seniors with their driver’s license dropped from nearly 90% in the mid-eighties to less than 75% today. In some states, that number dipped to 65%. *

Some people cite the rise of ride-sharing services like Lyft and Uber, and point out they are popular with young people. That may be true enough, but the decline started before ride-sharing was created, and the decline is even greater in rural areas where Uber doesn’t go than in urban areas where the app is popular.

In contrast, we have always felt it important for our teenagers to learn to drive as soon as possible. It’s a step toward adult independence, and a skill that is helpful for so many reasons – for the family they’re in right now, not just future situations!

*[Ref: Jean Twenge and Heejung Park, “The Decline in Adult Activities Among U.S. Adolescents, 1976-2016” (Child Development, 2017)]

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