Not as many teens getting their driver’s license

Many teens aren't trying to get their driver's license and there's one main reason behind it - Luis Lopez reports

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA,KECY) - When many teens turn 16, one of the first things they do is try to get their drivers license. However, due to one main reason, teens are waiting longer to get behind the wheel.

Not as many teens are getting their driver’s licenses anymore, and there are multiple reasons why, but one has become the leading cause, and experts are noticing.

Leo Waldenback is the head of growth at Zutobi, a drivers education app for teens. He says that the COVID-19 pandemic is the reason teens are waiting.

“I think it’s got to do with the pandemic, one hundred percent, and if you think about it, it’s not that weird,” Waldenback stated.

The company has been keeping track of the amount of teen drivers, he says that the pandemic has made teens reluctant to start the process of testing for their license as it’s still unclear when the pandemic will end.

“I think a lot of teens feel like 'why should I start studying now? When I don’t know when it’s going to end.'”

With teens delaying their drivers test, it also poses another issue for them, getting that first job.

"It’s going to be more difficult to get a first job, an entry job that you could have with a drivers license."

Waldenback emphasizes that the numbers won’t stay down forever, as they’ve noticed that when COVID-19 cases go down, the amount of teen drivers begins to go up again.