Only 60% of U.S. Teens Have a Driver’s License

The proportion of American teenagers holding a valid driver's license has plunged from 80% in 1980 to about 60% in 2010, according to a University of Michigan study.

The report by the U-M Transportation Research Institute opines that teens are less interested in driving because the Internet gives them the ability to connect with friends electronically. It also says the trend has accelerated in the past few years.

The percentage of U.S. 17-year-olds with a driver's license fell from 69% in 1983 to 50% in 2008 and 46% in 2010, according to the study. For 18-year-olds, the ratio dropped from 80% to 65% to 61%, respectively. Among 19-year-olds, the proportion shrank from 87% to 75% to 70%.