Ask the Experts

Hopeful Hitchhiker

Am I the only one here without a driver’s license? Should I worry and plan to get one this Summer?


When I was a teenager, getting a license was a rite of passage, granting mobility and parental independence. Surprisingly, we found your decision to delay driving is becoming more mainstream. During this decade, the number of young people without a license increased over 50%, according to DriverKnowlege, a driving permit test website.

The switch to mass transit is the leading reason. However, the motivation for the shift includes high gasoline prices, cost of insurance, environmental concern, lifestyles changes, etc.

Do these benefits outweigh the burden? First, consider your job search for Summer and after graduation. Many employers ask for a driver’s license, not just for pizza delivery. As your job responsibilities grow, you may need to meet with an out-of-town client. Mass transit does not serve many areas, nor go door-to-door.

The license should also be considered an emergency tool. Anyone who has driven family or friend to the hospital understands that.

For getting your license here in New Jersey, learn more from New Jersey Motor Vehicle. You can take an online course, to prepare for the written exam. Then you need 6 months of supervised driving for experience. This may not be convenient, while you are in college. Here is a tip. Once you turn 21, the requirement drops to only 3 months.

If your goal is a motorcycle license, you will not get that license any quicker, explains motorcycle permit test experts. Similar rules apply here in New Jersey.

This is not a commercial endorsement for Uber.

Jacob Maslow is the founder and editor of Legal Scoops.