In some parts of the country, a car is not a 'necessity' at all. I know people who didn't even THINK about getting a license until they moved away from New York City.
Here in Portland, Oregon, I know multiple people that, even with a license, drive very rarely. (My mom didn't get a license until she was in her 30s, my sister was in her late 20s, and I have one good friend that just got her license last year, at age 26.)
Wow, Nebraska now has a minimum period of time between permit and license? Of course, it's been 15 years since I got my license, so rules might have changed here in Oregon, too. When I got mine, it was 30 days. (i.e. You had to have the permit for 30 days before trying for the license.) The other thing is that most states say that if you have EVER had a valid license, you don't need to bother with the permit any more. (So, for example, one friend let his license expire, and didn't have a valid one for 4 years. When he re-applied, he could go straight for the license, he didn't need to go through the permit period again.)
Here in Portland, Oregon, I know multiple people that, even with a license, drive very rarely. (My mom didn't get a license until she was in her 30s, my sister was in her late 20s, and I have one good friend that just got her license last year, at age 26.)
Wow, Nebraska now has a minimum period of time between permit and license? Of course, it's been 15 years since I got my license, so rules might have changed here in Oregon, too. When I got mine, it was 30 days. (i.e. You had to have the permit for 30 days before trying for the license.) The other thing is that most states say that if you have EVER had a valid license, you don't need to bother with the permit any more. (So, for example, one friend let his license expire, and didn't have a valid one for 4 years. When he re-applied, he could go straight for the license, he didn't need to go through the permit period again.)