By Emily Aucay


Senior Karen Danial said she couldn’t wait to get her hands behind a car’s steering wheel and obtain her first driver’s license.

“I was very nervous at first, but eventually, I got used to it,” said Danial. “Now, I find it fun and easy being behind the wheel.”

Danial is part of a new group of young drivers at Murrow High School who are able to drive independently. Usually, a rite of passage for seniors, as the chance for the open road calls for a new driver’s license. 

The New York City Department of Motor Vehicles official website said that drivers from the ages of 16 to 24 represent 12 percent of licensed drivers in the state. 

Senior Heidy Zheng is part of the 12 percent of licensed teen to young adult drivers. She initially didn’t plan to drive but changed her mind after some persuasion.

“I was persuaded to get my driver’s license by a family member,”’ said Zheng, who owns a license but isn’t currently driving. “I didn’t want it at first. However, I was inspired to get a license because many of my friends had them.”

For others, like senior Samantha Denys, the reasoning behind getting her license was to gain independence.

“I wanted to be more independent and also drive myself to school,” said Denys, who isn’t driving at the moment. “By independent, I mean evolved and grown. As I gained more experience through intellect, to be an adult and distance myself from my parents.”

No matter the variety of reasons as to why certain seniors wanted to earn their license, most agreed that having a license holds its fair share of disadvantages. 

“You have to be careful when driving; it’s very stressful.” said Denys. “You also have to be aware of all your surroundings and follow the driving rules so you won’t get arrested.”

That seems to be a sufficient reason for others to not get their license just yet.

“It’s not a thing you need to do in New York, because we have such a big metro system,” said senior Christana Mo. “Like you wouldn’t need to use a car. I feel like that would make it more difficult for somebody.”

Image: Many students, even those who are eligible to get driving licenses, choose to utilize the city’s extensive public transport system.

Another issue facing drivers is the fear of getting into accidents. Danial said she is extra careful but knows that some teens are not. According to the DMV,  20 percent of younger drivers are involved in crashes. 

“That’s because teens tend to be in this generation more obsessed with their technology and their phone, so they might be texting while driving,” said Danial.  “If they just turned 21, they might be drinking and driving.”

Besides having to drive carefully to avoid any accidents and facing legal consequences, some teen drivers also have to worry about expenses concerning gas and insurance, especially if their parents aren’t covering their bills. 

“I don’t pay for anything, my parents do, because I don’t have money,” said Danial. “I basically borrow the car, but typically gas costs $30-$40 depending on how much I need, and insurance is $150-$200.

Yet, those who have yet to have a license feel liberated from the responsibilities of having to pay car expenses. 

“Not having to pay a lot for gas or car insurance feels good,” said Ye. “Since I don’t have to use so much money, it feels liberating.”

Featured Image: Karen Danial in her car.