When it comes to that time, most incoming high schoolers want to drive. They get excited to have many freedoms and just simply grow up. Besides all of the fun aspects of starting to drive, there’s a huge importance to starting early as well. 

Getting a learner’s permit allows teens a whole year to practice the challenging rules of driving under the influence of an experienced driver. This lets the new driver get more comfortable and have experience at an earlier time so that when the time comes to get their license, they will feel more comfortable on the road and will put out a safer way of driving. 

In recent years, the number of teens getting their licenses at age 16 has gone down an exponential amount. According to the Federal Highway Administration, only approximately 61 percent of 18-year-olds in the U.S had a driver’s license in 2018, compared to 80.4 percent in 1983. Since fewer teens are choosing to drive, most don’t end up with a license until they are much older, resulting in less experienced drivers. I feel that this is very unsafe. 

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Freshman at Roswell High School Kate Holloway is getting her permit. She says, “I’m getting my permit soon and I think it’s important at my age because I can easily learn the rules before I get older and I would need to know these rules before I reach that age.” Her worry is that if she waits a little while longer she will be behind on knowing important skills needed later in life.

Another Freshman at Roswell, Hannah Chambers, says, “I think that having your permit younger helps you to understand the value of driving and the responsibility to other people! When driving you are not only responsible for yourself, you are responsible for everyone else!”

Getting your permit as soon as possible is so much more efficient. If you rely on other ways to get places, such as Uber or rides with your friends, then you won’t have the experience you need later in life to drive. To some teens, driving might not seem like it’s a big priority for them at the moment but they are given such a great opportunity to learn about being safe on the road. Waiting until you are older can be much more difficult because, at an older age, you will need to know the laws on the road and will have many more places to go. Learning earlier can also make it much safer on the road because if everyone driving already had a lot of experience instead of all being beginners, fewer accidents would happen to result in a safer driving environment. 

Maddie Cain is a sophomore in a local private school who has had her permit for a while now. She says, “It’s important because you need to learn how to drive so we can have freedoms as teenagers. Getting your driver’s permit also teaches you responsibility because you can’t lose it. It helped me because it allowed me to start driving, learn safety rules, and laws that aren’t commonly known.” It taught her the responsibility needed as a teenager. She get’s her license in February and now she will be overly prepared for the challenges of driving that are ahead of her. 

I highly encourage all of the Freshmen to look into a permit this school year so we can have a safer community in the future. Not only is it helpful and safe, but driving is also fun!