In the past two decades, teenagers and drivers in their 20s have stopped hitting the road as much, according to a new University of Michigan study,
The study looked at the habits of licensed drivers of all ages between 1983 and 2008.
Here's how they stacked up:
The number of 19-year-olds on the road dropped by 12 percent. Twenty percent fewer 18-year-olds are driving and 17-year-olds on the road also decreased by almost 20 percent. For 16-year-olds, drivers decreased by 15 percent.
What's more, one-third of licensed drivers in the U.S. used to be under the age of 20 but today that number has fallen by almost 10 percent.
The reason behind the trend could be that young people simply can't afford gas these days, which reached record high averages of $4.588 a gallon in California and $4.114 a gallon nationally in summer 2008, the LA Times says.
Automakers told Detroit News they're worried texting restrictions and the Internet have contributed to the downward trend as well.
"It is possible that the availability of virtual contact through electronic means reduces the need for actual contact among young people," Michael Sivak, research professor at the U-M Transportation Research Institute told Detroit News.
"Furthermore, some young people feel that driving interferes with texting and other electronic communication."
But apparently gas prices and tweets aren't deterring older drivers from getting behind the wheel.
About 94 percent of those aged 65-69 currently have their driver's license, compared to only 79 percent in 1983. And for those over 70, a surprising 78 percent still have their license – up from 55 percent in 1983.