Why aren’t teenagers driving anymore?

Driving a car was once a widely coveted rite of passage, but a rising number of kids no longer see it that way: 60 percent of American 18-year-olds had a driver’s license in 2021, down from 80 percent in 1983, according to data from the Federal Highway Administration. In that same period, the number of 16-year-olds with licenses dropped from 46 percent to 25 percent. Today’s driving-age teens are navigating a very different world, filled with new complexities and anxieties. The allure of independent mobility might be dimmed by the digital connectivity that didn’t exist when previous generations came of age. Teens can summon an Uber or Lyft with the tap of a finger. Parents can monitor a child’s every move through an app.

驾驶汽车曾经是一个梦寐以求的“成年仪式”，但越来越多的孩子不再这样认为：根据联邦公路管理局的数据，2021 年，60%的美国 18 岁的人拥有驾照，低于 1983 年的 80%。在同一时期，16 岁的人拥有驾照的人数从 46%下降到 25%。今天达到驾龄的青少年正在面对一个非常不同的世界，充满了新的复杂性和形形色色的焦虑。 独立行动的诱惑力可能会因为移动网络的连接而减弱，而在前几代人刚成年时，移动网络是不存在的。青少年只需轻点手指就能在 Uber 或 Lyft 上打车。而父母可以通过一个应用程序监控孩子的一举一动。

tips

covet v. 渴望，贪求

allure n. 诱惑力；v. 诱惑

summon v. 召唤，传唤