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As time passes and the final school bell rings, upperclassmen flock to their cars, ready to drive home from a long school day. With hundreds of parents driving into UHS and hundreds of students leaving, the parking lot can quickly become a hot mess with uncontrollable honking and clogged traffic. However, over time, the number of teen drivers has significantly dropped. With only a quarter of 16-year-old teenagers driving, many are unaware of the significant benefits of teenage driving. So many vital benefits of teen driving go unnoticed. As a UHS student at the height of your adolescent years, you should consider obtaining your driver’s license if you haven’t already done so.
One of the most valuable reasons many teens seek a driver’s license is for potential job opportunities. Some jobs, like delivery drivers, require a valid license to deliver pizza quickly, but the benefits go beyond that. While not every employer requires or even suggests a driver’s license, it can significantly increase the probability of acceptance due to the increased maturity and responsibility it entails. Providing a valid driver’s license proves to employers that the applicant can act like an adult in obeying traffic laws and maintaining proper gas tank and car maintenance. While obtaining a driver’s license may not be as difficult as studying for AP classes, it signals the start of adulthood, with greater maturity and increased responsibility. This can result in greater trust and a higher probability of job acceptance.
With better job opportunities and more money to spend, teens can use their newly acquired driver’s license to travel anywhere. This newfound ability provides a sense of freedom and opens up opportunities to hang out with friends or drive to school. Teens with more independence are also more engaged in social opportunities like concerts, events, sports and more. While many parents think teens are too young to drive, high school is the perfect age to learn and grow into adulthood.
Additionally, teenage driving provides significant brain-enhancing effects. Driving develops the hippocampus, resulting in higher cognitive functions such as spatial memory and increased neuroplasticity from managing multiple tasks while driving. Furthermore, driving well can increase positivity and confidence in oneself while preparing for independence in college.
On the other hand, many criticize teenage driving due to its potential dangers. While this concern is valid, recent studies prove that younger teens navigated difficult roads significantly better than older drivers. Furthermore, teens participating in sports boasted faster reaction times and were quicker to brake and prevent an accident. While teenagers aren’t as attentive to safety precautions, their technical driving abilities are on par with adults. Another study found that teens beginning to drive at 16 or 17 years old likely participated in graduated driver’s license requisites and other standardized preparation such as behind-the-wheel training and mandatory driver education. The study concluded that an early start to driving was beneficial to teens and not to assume that younger drivers will have higher crash rates.
Many teens learn to drive from their parents, who have years, if not decades, of driving experience. With parents stressing the dangers of teen driving frequently, many responsible teens take even greater safety precautions, as the risk of crashing would be devastating. By learning from parents, teens can also have more time to bond before college and will have more time away from addicting social media apps. This can also lead to increased trust and a better environment at home.
Driving has become a staple of modern society, but the number of teens interested in it is sadly dwindling. By getting a head start on the road, teenagers are opened to vital job opportunities, benefits from brain-enhancing effects and even stronger bonds with parents. It is always best to start soon, and obtaining one’s driver’s license can be an important first step to increased maturity and freedom.
