by Bridget Cook ’14

Witnessing the chaos that is the 2:10 parking lot jam, some may be inclined to believe that the number of teen drivers is at an all-time high. However, recent data reported by several major news sources reveals that the amount of teenagers behind the wheel has actually steadily declined over recent years.

USA Today reported on the decline with data from a survey by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that showed a 12-percent drop in teenage drivers from 1996 to 2012.  Several theories as to why this drop occurred have been proposed, including the use of social media to replace face to face interaction and the bad economy. However, the leading cause in the report is that teens are too busy to get their licenses, a reason that made up 36.9 percent of the total number of non-driving teens. Carpooling with other driving teens and getting rides from parents were also among reasons for teens not being licensed.

In another 2012 survey conducted by the AAA Foundation, only 44 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 20 got their licenses within a year of the minimum age required to do so by their state. The main reasons gathered in this study were economical. Not having a car or gas money was the biggest hurdle teens faced when considering trying for their licenses, and family income was tied into the economic reasons as well. Teens living in a household with an income of $60,000 or more were much more likely to receive a license than those who lived in household with a lower income.

CNBC also reported on the decrease of teen drivers, blaming the economy and job market above all else. Gas is very expensive, and the job market is difficult for teenagers, leaving more unemployed teens and more unlicensed people.

At Sherwood, it can be theorized that because the area is relatively affluent, teens have more financial support to allow for them to get their licenses, and sooner. The nearby towns of Olney and Silver Spring also provide many opportunities for work, which gives teenagers a chance to make their own money for auto-related expenses as well as Driver’s Ed. In an informal survey of 45 students, lack of priority for driving and apathy seemed to play a large role among those who are eligible but have yet to receive a license.

“We just haven’t gotten around to [getting me my license],” stated senior Sam Miller on her survey. Added senior Tobi King on his survey, “I’m just generally a real lazy guy.”