I got my permit at 17, if I recall correctly, but waited until I was 19 to get a license (nailed it on my 3rd try. Don’t judge). It was my own fear that precluded my obtaining a license earlier – I sincerely felt bad for all the other drivers and pedestrians who I was sure I would kill. BH, bli ayin hara, I haven’t killed anyone to date.
Now that I can drive by myself, I realize how much I was missing out on. There’s something about getting in a car and being able to do what you want/need to without depending on another driver that’s just so freeing. I know that as parents, many of you would want to restrict your children’s independence as much as possible so as to keep them out of harm’s way, but there may be drawbacks to your theory. You can’t just wait for them to magically become adults before introducing the steering wheel to them – driving and other forms of independence are how they BECOME adults. I’m not giving a set age for everyone to start driving – as parents, you know when they’re ready. But don’t wait forever. Let your kids make their own mistakes – that’s the only way they’ll mature.