The Daily Journey at DJDS Where Driving Becomes Part of Growing Up

OPINION-- At 8:00 a.m., the DJDS parking lot tells a familiar story: cars pulling up one by one, student drivers searching for a spot, and students hustling towards the entrance. 

What’s missing, especially compared with many public schools, is just as noticeable: no school buses unloading students, and no one arriving via public transit. 

At 14.5, teens are finally allowed to start thinking about driving, beginning with the most important step: learning the rules of the road. But by the time they turn 16 and become eligible for a driver’s license, fewer and fewer teens are choosing to get one immediately. 

In 1983, 46% of 16-year-olds had their license, and 80% of 18-year-olds were licensed. By 2021, those numbers had dropped to 25% and 60%, respectively. 

At first glance, public transportation might seem like a solution. In reality, it is not one DJDS students typically use. The combination of limited routes, long travel times, and schedules that do not align with the school day makes using the Regional Transportation District unrealistic for most families. 

For DJDS students, relying on RTD would mean early departures and the constant risk of delays, factors that effectively remove it as an option. 

School buses, another traditional alternative, are similarly absent. Without regular bus routes serving the school, students have little choice but to depend on family transportation or personal vehicles. For students with after-school activities, sports, or variable schedules, fixed transportation options would likely fall short even if they were available. 

As a result, DJDS relies heavily on parent drop-offs and student drivers. Despite national declines in teen licensing, 86% of DJDS seniors have a driver’s license, 13% higher than the national average. 

For many students, driving doesn’t only mean freedom, but also reliability. Without a car, getting to school independently can be challenging. Over time, the school commute has settled into a consistent pattern. 

What appears each morning as a routine car line reflects the reality that most DJDS families rely on personal transportation as the most practical option available. Until viable alternatives exist, the question remains less about whether students should drive and more about whether they have any other way to get to school at all.