Teens say fear has kept them from getting behind the wheel.
Alexia Marquez, 21, sits in her car outside her home in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. Alexia Marquez was adamant about safety when it came to buying her first car, but she also wanted something good on gas.
“I feel really comfortable when I’m on the highway but I don’t feel as safe when it’s residential,’’ the Concord woman said. “The only reason I’m trying to get my driver’s license now is because my grandfather is sick. It’s important to me. I don’t want to become a burden to them.” The number of violent road rage incidents across the United States has also surged over the past decade. Between 2014 and 2023, road rage shootings increased by more than 400%, according to an analysis of data from the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive conducted by The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom that covers gun violence in America. During that 10-year period, angry drivers shot 3,095 people, according to The Trace.
“Gas is expensive,’’ said Gabi Castro, a 17-year-old San Jose resident who is studying for her driver’s test now because getting a license was not a top priority when she became eligible a year ago. “I had my heart set on not staying on the West Coast for college,” Refuerzo said. “I thought of transporting a car to New York, but that would have been a lot of work and expensive.”“I also wasn’t that excited to learn how to drive. I didn’t feel emotionally ready to drive. Part of it might have been because of the pandemic,’’ the young adult said.
Casey Chew, 18, of Lafayette, practices driving at Greenlight Simulation in Danville, Calif., on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. Last year, Jason Zimmerman and Josh Hurley opened the small driving school to teach teens to drive by using a high-tech simulator that replicates the real everyday challenges of driving.
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