Jump to content
Create New...
  • 💬 Join the Conversation

    CnG Logo SQ 2023 RedBlue FavIcon300w.png
    Since 2001, Cheers & Gears has been the go-to hub for automotive enthusiasts. Join today to access our vibrant forums, upload your vehicle to the Garage, and connect with fellow gearheads around the world.

     

  • William Maley
    William Maley

    Fewer Americans Are Carrying Driver Licenses

      It Isn't Only Teens

    The past few years have seen studies come out that reveal teenagers are less likely to have a driver's license. But a new study from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) says teens aren't the only group that are passing on a license.

     

    The study which looked at data from 1983 to 2014 reveals that every age group has seen a decrease in carrying a driver;s license.

    • 24.5 percent of Americans aged 16 carried a license in 2014. This is down 6.6 percent from 2008 where 27.5 percent carried one.
    • 76.7 percent of Americans aged 20 to 24 have a license in 2014, compared to 82 percent in 2008.
    • A number of older Americans aren't also carrying licenses either. In the 40 to 59 age bracket, the percentage of those who have a license has dropped 3 percent from 2008 to 2014.


    Sadly, the study doesn't go into why the amount of people carrying licenses has gone down. But we have a couple possible reasons to it:

    • The average price of a vehicle has been increasing over the years. Young Americans don't have the income to purchase one.
    • A fair number of people are moving back into the city, meaning they are utilizing public transportation systems or using an alternative form of transportation.

     

    Source: UMTRI

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    We would see a bigger drop if they enforced having to read, write and speak english to get their drivers license. To many states including Washington where I live allow people to take their drivers test with an interpreter so they get to drive. F the ability to communicate to police, fire or medical. Politicians have screwed this country over by implying that driving is a right. It is NOT it is a Privilege you earn. We need to enforce this rather than allowing timed non speaking english people to drive on the roads and then get over into the left lane going 20+ under the posted speed limit.

    • Agree 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Washington state has a law for driving too slow in the left lane of which is costs you $136 if you are 10mph or slower in the left lane. The new added fees are being put in place to force people to obey the using left lane to pass and not go slow causing cars to back up or pass on the right.

     

    The proposed law would add another fine for continuously driving at slow speeds, based on how far below the speed limit they are traveling.

    Between 1 and 5 mph, the extra fine would be $27. That would go up to $37 for 6 to 10 mph below the maximum speed limit; $52 for 11 to 15 mph and $67 for 16 to 20 mph.

    Bill can be found here:

    http://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6105&year=2015

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Yeah, man. I'd be in the numbers too, but I'm in Canada.

     

    Cars are practical still, but the cash flow to finance the investment isn't there when you're doing post-secondary education.

     

    But saving money is gud, na?

    • Agree 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    many of the younger set have no trouble forking out coin for cell phones and plan.  But the thought of even 200 bucks for a car payment rankles them.

     

    Mom and dad drove them everywhere for so long, then it comes time that you gotta get yer own ride, pay for it, and drive yourself.  Oh the horror.  Can't work from your basement, all of ya.  Gotta go to your job so you can make money.  That's how it works.  Sad that all those years of college doesn't guarantee employment or a decent wage but if the recession hadn't wiped out jobs across all demographics and hadn't decimated average wages so much, the system would not have developed such difficult barriers to get into the employment world.

     

    Mass transit is a great option for those that don't want to own a car.  But you still pay for that too, and you don't have total freedom.  

     

    Car sharing may be a great scam for quite awhile.  But renting cars or group ownership will not save a lot of money vs single ownership over time.  Ford's group lease/buy thing just means they can ask more for the price of the vehicle.  Nice scam!  plus then you are stuck driving the vehicle your co owner has been beating up on.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    many of the younger set have no trouble forking out coin for cell phones and plan.  But the thought of even 200 bucks for a car payment rankles them.

     

    Mom and dad drove them everywhere for so long, then it comes time that you gotta get yer own ride, pay for it, and drive yourself.  Oh the horror.  Can't work from your basement, all of ya.  Gotta go to your job so you can make money.  That's how it works.  Sad that all those years of college doesn't guarantee employment or a decent wage but if the recession hadn't wiped out jobs across all demographics and hadn't decimated average wages so much, the system would not have developed such difficult barriers to get into the employment world.

     

    Mass transit is a great option for those that don't want to own a car.  But you still pay for that too, and you don't have total freedom.  

     

    Car sharing may be a great scam for quite awhile.  But renting cars or group ownership will not save a lot of money vs single ownership over time.  Ford's group lease/buy thing just means they can ask more for the price of the vehicle.  Nice scam!  plus then you are stuck driving the vehicle your co owner has been beating up on.

     

    I have a cellphone from 6 years ago and it itself was hand-me-down.

     

    And I recently downgraded my cell plan. So I guess I am a saving connoisseur.

     

    Yeah, though I have yet to get much out of education just yet. The thing is it's all about the extra curriculars and stuffs and networking and the more I try those things the more bewildered I get. 

     

    But then there's the people I flat out envy.

     

    Their tuition is taken care of, they live close to campus, and they have awesome executive positions in clubs and then they win, and they repeat the cycle. It's very clean and appears organized.

     

    And me - I hate to admit it, but yeah, I'm like a rusty Jeep Comanche in a sea of Denalis.

     

    But the scale factor is that I'm like the kiddie toy Jeep I used to have when I was helpless diaper dumpster, while the rest of these folks are the real life bruisers, so the rusty Comanche doesn't get noticed. It just gets steamrolled and owned...again and again....rinse and repeat. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Support Real Automotive Journalism

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001, Cheers & Gears has delivered real content and honest opinions — not emotionless AI output or manufacturer-filtered fluff.

    If you value independent voices and authentic reviews, consider subscribing. Plans start at just $2.25/month, and paid members enjoy an ad-light experience.*

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • Every American needs to get ready as this is our future under Idiot47 and his love of Tariffs. Vintage photos show American life under Trump's tariff hero, William McKinley   Idiot47 is going to bankrupt this country the way he has already done it 7 times since he is so stupid. Trump vows 'big retaliation' as 'sell America' list grows This is sad as GM will not recover like they think they will nor will Ford. American Auto Industry is set to expire. GM to end Chevy Bolt EV production next year, move China-made Buick to US factory Anyone who doubts the U.S. is about to crash does not understand how the Russian Agent Idiot47 has increased debt to give the 1% class everything before this country implodes. ‘Some form of crisis is almost inevitable’: The $38 trillion national debt will soon be growing faster than the US economy itself, watchdog warns  
    • This was more of the response I was looking for. Yes. And thank-you.  If I came out as defensive and aggressive, it was because I was, but not targeted at you...personally at you.  At you because of what country you live in but not at you personally as I have come to know you quite well as much as we could behind a computer screen.  And yes, I never ever questioned you. I know you are a well educated individual.  I could tell from the literal thousands of posts we have made to each other over the years.   I like you. I respect you.  Im sorry that I made you feel the need to justify yourself.  But I, and I COULD speak for plenty of Canadians on my behalf, that we, not just I, are pretty phoquing mad at some of your countrymen and for your leaders for what is going on.     The way I figure it, and this is where I speak only for myself, is IF americans want to phoque up their lives, the lives of their fellow countrymen, their country and everything the usa stood for, then phoque that up all by yourselves, there is NO PHOQUING NEED to drag me and ALL CANADIANS into your garbage.  More than that, LEAVE OTHER nations alone as well.   The way I figure it, take care of your (not personal, but a universal meaning for all americans) shyte because I, Canadians, do NOT feel the need to have to take care of YOUR shyte for YOU (not personal, but a universal meaning for all americans).  We Canadians do not necessarily want to go to war for YOU JUST to defend freedoms and liberties.  WE WILL go to war to defend CANADIAN freedoms and liberties and especially our sovereignty, make no mistake about that, but why drag Canadians into YOUR problems?   Nobody thought that. But there were plenty of small hints though, in 2016.  An huge bombshell of a hint on January 6, 2020.  All of 2025 though, was just a matter of time before those hints actually came to fruition and became reality.  2026 is the year where probably  all actions of authoritarianism will be put into motion. The year did start  (January 3rd to be exact) with a literal bang... americans, the ones that are actually aware of what is going on and are against all of it are too passive.   I understand the fact that these people want to settle this without violence.  Some of these people think that elections will settle this. There is NO RULE OF LAW that is followed in an authoritarian take-over where democracy is being phased out.  There is NO RULE OF LAW in the usa as we speak. The courts and/or elcetions have done shyte so far and the courts and /or elections will do shyte going forward.   Violence is the ONLY way for freedoms and liberties to be restored at this juncture.  Some americans absolutely want NO violence and war to happen... but  violence and war  is DESTINED to come to them whether they want it to happen or not.  If there are no violent riots to lead to a civil war to break free form this shyte, violence will happen regardless because OPPRESSORS want to OPPRESS and will OPPRESS anybody OPPRESSORS want to OPPRESS.  That could mean ANY person living in the usa.  Being white is not a free pass.  Because white will have other less favourable attributes to these oppressors.  Whether americans will resist or not, oppressors will enact violence upon thee. Also, with talks about invasions, or even former america's allies that the usa decided to shyte on the past 13 months, tensions have arose, and the usa is the aggressor, anyway, aggressors, in THIS case IS the united states of america, will be forced to attack other countries and this means the usa will need soldiers.  In other words, even if some americans do NOT want war, YOUR leader WANTS war and so WAR will be handed to you whether you like it or not... 
    • I still like these "older" cars: I didn't like these when they first came out.  The first time I saw one I was driving a rented 2013 or 14 previous fleet Impala westbound on I-10 on the Florida panhandle and one of these new ones was crossing me eastbound on I-10.  I wasn't convinced.  The front fascia looked too tame and the back was a little chunky. Of the latest Malibus, I like the Camaro-esque taillamp treatment on this one.  Not long ago, one drove past me and it must have really been taken care of because the exhaust note was damn near perfect.  That would have been coming from a 2.5 liter Ecotec 4 cylinder.
    • @G. David Felt This was quite a surprise.  I was going to sit down and do this paring down to get more space.  I periodically would click on "This PC" to see how much space was available ... not much.  Last night and this morning, I checked and I had gotten back slightly over 40 GB! I looked at it more than once to see if it was real. I wonder if it was a timed process within the system.  I guess I'm doing ok now.
    • Not surprised by this as much as just sadden that we have fallen down to be such trailer trash bottom of the garbage bin due to an Idiot that almost 51% of idiot illiterate Americans put in office. Sadly with only a 7th grade level of reading, it was only time before a Russian agent / Pedo / Criminal would get put into the highest office in the land by idiot Americans. As a well-educated individual, I just never thought I would see the day that a friendly neighbor would have to plan for war against us.
  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search