Gen Z Delays Getting Driver's Licenses, Leaving Parents to Chauffeur

Teenagers are putting off getting their licenses, making their Gen X parents drive them around longer than expected.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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A growing number of Gen Z teenagers are delaying getting their driver's licenses, leaving their Gen X parents to continue chauffeuring them around. Factors like fear of crashes, the cost of driving, and the convenience of rideshare apps are contributing to this trend. Many parents are frustrated by having to drive their driving-age kids, but struggle to force them to get licenses. The delayed driving trend is impacting families, businesses, and the future of transportation.

Why it matters

The delayed driver's license trend among Gen Z has significant implications. It means more parents are stuck driving their teenagers around, limiting their own independence and productivity. It also impacts businesses like rideshare companies that are seeing increased demand from driving-age teens, as well as the future of transportation as autonomous vehicles become more viable with fewer young drivers on the road.

The details

Driving is becoming less of a priority and rite of passage for many Gen Z teens, who are putting off getting their licenses for reasons like fear of crashes, the high costs of driving, and the convenience of rideshare apps. This is leaving their Gen X parents to continue driving them to school, activities, and social events well past the traditional age of 16. Parents are frustrated by having to chauffeur their driving-age kids, but struggle to force them to get licenses. The trend is impacting families, businesses, and the future of transportation as autonomous vehicles become more viable with fewer young drivers.

  • In 1983, roughly half of US 16-year-olds had a driver's license.
  • That number fell to 25% in 2022, according to data from the Federal Highway Administration.

The players

Christina Mott

A 46-year-old mom of three kids who is still chauffeuring her 16-year-old son and two other children around their Northern California suburb.

Colton Mott

Christina's 16-year-old son who put his driver's license on hold indefinitely after a scary incident while driving on his learner's permit.

Dara Khosrowshahi

The CEO of Uber, who has struggled to convince his own 18-year-old son to get a driver's license.

Jeffrey Jensen Arnett

A professor of psychology at Clark University in Massachusetts and author of "Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from the Late Teens Through the Twenties."

Giselle Rodriguez Greenwood

A parent living in the suburbs of Houston who is dealing with her 17-year-old son's resistance to getting a driver's license.

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What they’re saying

“When I was 16, we didn't think this way about driving at all. Driving meant freedom!”

— Christina Mott, Parent (businessinsider.com)

“I don't know about you, but did you get a license the minute you could drive? It was just such a thing. It was a goal in life. It represented freedom.”

— Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber CEO (The Verge)

“If you think of why those 16-year-olds — 30 or 50 years ago — were so eager to get their license, a lot of it had to do with wanting to drink and have sex.”

— Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, Professor of Psychology (businessinsider.com)

What’s next

Colton Mott is trying to regain his confidence and is again taking driving lessons with plans to take his driver's test at the local DMV.

The takeaway

The delayed driver's license trend among Gen Z is creating new challenges for families, businesses, and the future of transportation. Parents are frustrated by having to continue chauffeuring their driving-age kids, while companies like Uber are seeing increased demand from teens who don't have licenses. This shift could accelerate the adoption of autonomous vehicles as fewer young people get behind the wheel.