(Nebraska) -- A new national study ranks Nebraska at number ten for the percentage of licensed drivers under the age of 19. The team at MarketWatch Guides finds 5.4% of drivers in Nebraska are 19-years-old or younger. Nationally, Gen Z makes up less than 4% of licensed drivers. Iowa is number one: 8.1% of Iowa drivers are 19 or under.
The number of young drivers per state:
1 Iowa 8.1%
2 South Dakota 7.6%
3 Utah 6.8%
4 Kansas 6.0%
5 Minnesota 5.9%
6 Oklahoma 5.7%
7 Idaho 5.6%
8 North Dakota 5.6%
9 South Carolina 5.5%
10 Nebrsaka 5.4%
Iowa has the most young drivers by state population than any other state in the country. Just under one in 12 (8.1%) licensed drivers in Iowa are aged 19 and under years. This could be influenced by the state’s driving laws, with teenagers able to obtain a learner’s permit at just 14 years old, a restricted license obtainable at 16, and a full license obtainable at 17 years.
South Dakota is in second place, with 7.6% of all licensed drivers 19 and under years old. The high proportion of young drivers is likely impacted by the state’s driving laws. To obtain a learner’s permit, South Dakotans must be at least 14 years old, with the age limit on a restricted license being 14 years and six months. A full license can be obtained at just 16 years old.
Over three in 50 (6.8%) licensed drivers in Utah are 19 and under, which falls in third place. Despite featuring in the ten states with the lowest number of licensed drivers by population, the state outperforms most others for its young driving population, in part due to the fact that residents can obtain a learner’s permit at 15, a restricted license at 16, and a full license at just 17.