AAA: Teens put off getting a drivers license
In a big departure from the behavior of their parents, less than half of teenagers (44 percent) get a drivers license within 12 months of the minimum age for their state, says a new report by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Just more than half (54 percent) are licensed before their 18th birthday. Twenty years ago, more than two-thirds of teens were licensed by the time they turned 18.
The top reasons: They didnt have a car, they could get around without driving, gas or driving was too expensive, or they just didnt get around to it.
That means that many young people are getting their license without parental supervision or extensive practice. Researchers and policymakers should examine whether existing state graduated drivers license systems nearly all of which end once a teen turns 18 can be modified to improve safety for these young adult novice drivers.
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