海角大神

There was a time when turning 16 automatically meant a trip to the DMV to become a newly minted driver, at least if car culture movies like "American Graffiti," and even many of our own teen memories, are to be believed.

But a new study from Oregon State Public Interest Research Group reveals that today鈥檚 teens are not so quick to gun their engines and join the ranks of drivers, and that cruising the main drag in a steel-skinned living-room-on-wheels isn鈥檛 the rite of passage to adulthood and freedom it once was.

In 2010, a mere 28 percent of 16 year olds had driver鈥檚 licenses, compared with 44 percent in 1980, according to another study聽from聽the聽University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. While this doesn鈥檛 take into account new laws regarding ages of drivers, older teens are driving at lower rates, too. From 1980 to 2010, 17-year-old licensed drivers dropped from 66 percent to 45 percent; 18-year-olds from 75 percent to 61 percent; and 19-year-olds from 80 percent to 70 percent.

Why is this? According to University of Michigan鈥檚聽Michael Sivak, the economic downturn has made it more difficult for young people to own a vehicle and cover its costs, from gas to insurance to the actual car. In addition, he notes, an increasing number of young people are moving to cities that have regular public transportation. And then there are those who are driving less or not at all out of concern for the environment. He also points to internet access and the popularity of social networks and texting, which means that kids can interact with each other from their own homes and from places that they don鈥檛 need a car to access.

With all the appropriate messages out there warning teens against texting and driving, think of it this way: Given the choice, many teens would rather text than drive.

In addition, there鈥檚 a聽desire among younger people, for the first time in decades, to live in聽walkable cities with聽good public transportation and biking. (There is a desire among聽older people聽for this, too.) In these cities, they often rely on聽car-sharing聽programs like Zipcar in a sincere effort to drive less while also not having to worry about storage and maintenance.

My daughter and her peer group seem to mirror this national trend. Anna, who is 16, is in no hurry to get a driver鈥檚 license. Some of her friends got them at or around 16 (the minimum age for licensing in California). Many others waited. A couple admit to having been nervous. Still others are just taking their time. For various reasons, they don鈥檛 perceive a strong need to drive.

鈥淔ewer parents are working 9-5 than they used to,鈥� Anna said, 鈥渟o they鈥檙e more available when needed. Kids get accustomed to getting rides from their parents and other drivers.鈥�

That was Harry Miller鈥檚 story. The Sebastopol, Calif., teen got his driver鈥檚 license the day after his 18th birthday. 鈥淚 started online driver鈥檚 ed the day after my 16th birthday,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 took a long time to finish. I was a little afraid of being behind the wheel and driving around.鈥�

Once he got his permit, he started driving with his parents. Although driving became easier, he didn鈥檛 particularly enjoy it. The original permit expired before he passed the driving test, and a new permit was issued. The day after his 18th birthday, Harry passed the behind-the-wheel driver鈥檚 test and got his license.

鈥淚 had been getting rides (to school) with my dad, and there were always enough people driving places, that I didn鈥檛 really need a license,鈥� Harry said. 鈥淭he only reason I got one was to help my mom and dad drive my younger brothers places.鈥� Harry added: 鈥淭he day I got my license, I drove home by myself. The minute I was by myself, I realized how stupid I had been for not getting my license sooner. I loved it. Driving alone is the coolest thing.鈥�

Diane Worley鈥檚 daughter, Ivy, of Mill Valley, Calif., got her license the day before her 17th birthday.

鈥淚t was a combination of not being ready and being too busy to schedule the driving test,鈥� Diane said. 鈥淚 got my license the day I turned 16, couldn鈥檛 wait for the independence of driving. My only serious car accident ever was in my first three months of driving. Ivy has not had an accident yet. I think that speaks for itself.鈥�

In Los Angeles (where I learned to drive), many parents cite the 鈥渃ongested streets鈥� and 鈥渃razy drivers鈥� as the reasons that their kids and teen acquaintances are delaying getting their licenses, often past college.

And then there is Trevor Perelson, 18, of Mill Valley, Calif. who simply relishes the journey more by bike than he would if traveling by car. And it鈥檚 not as if he doesn鈥檛 travel long distances. He just completed a 14-day, 450-mile round-trip bike ride, in addition to using bike transportation daily.

鈥淒riving a car is not even half as much fun as riding a bike,鈥� he said.

鈥淗alf of my friends got their licenses at 16,鈥� Trevor said, although most of his college-age friends don鈥檛 drive. 鈥淚f they do, they regret it. To have a car means you鈥檙e forced to work or have your parents pay for the car and gas. Not everyone has that luxury.鈥�

Trevor, who has a job building chicken coops, said, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 worth it to have to work to drive a destructive machine that鈥檚 less fun than biking. It doesn鈥檛 make sense. I can be anywhere I need to be on my bike in an hour or by bus in 40 minutes.鈥�

鈥淭he time spent working just to obtain and drive a car would be wasted. I鈥檇 rather live, learn and travel.鈥� Trevor added, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a communal aspect to bike riding. If I see someone I know, and I鈥檓 on a bike, I can stop and say hi. You can鈥檛 do that in a car. I like to feel the land versus just going over it 鈥� feel the steep hills and the humid climate, see the people and hear the noises.鈥�

Anna also recently get her permit. She decided she wants to know how to drive, even if she doesn鈥檛 do it often. And, she鈥檚 right 鈥� it鈥檚 a good life skill to have in one鈥檚 arsenal. We鈥檙e also in the school of many parents who think that, while it鈥檚 great that our kid gets around on bike, foot or by carpooling,聽learning to drive聽now, with her parents and in her home town, before she goes off to college in a year, will actually make her a聽safer and more confident driver, when she does inevitably drive (although, frankly, waiting a little was fine, too).

Whatever the laws in your state and the聽new driver鈥檚 age,聽driving practice聽and safe habits are paramount.