As a native South Dakotan now temporarily living on the unfortunate side of the Dakota Territory division, I thought I grew up in one of the best states in which to be a teenage driver; I was actually able to drive independently before I moved out of my parents’ house. Their metrics may make sense on the coasts, but they’re inherently, absurdly biased against the realities of flyover country.
For example: their ideal is a licensing system that forces a wait all the way to age 16 for a learner’s permit, and doesn’t have full driving privileges till age 18. I was driving farm tractors when I was 11; had a learner’s permit a month after turning 14; by the time I was 16 I had full driving privileges. Before I graduated from high school I was driving semi trucks. What was I supposed to do for my age 14 and age 15 summers, when I was being useful working for my dad on the farm… stay in the house playing with Legos and reading sci-fi books?