Sarah McCall: Don’t blame everything on tech

Regarding the Jan. 19 column “How smartphones keep young people off the road”: It was surprising to learn many teenagers are waiting until later to get their driver’s licenses. I am 19, and I got my learner’s permit and driver’s license the very first chance I could.

However, contrary to the research presented from the University of Michigan, I firmly believe the trend has little or nothing to do with smartphones. Adults who grew up in different decades are so quick to blame technology for every negative generational difference.

What researchers and reporters should keep in mind is that correlation does not indicate causation, and just because technology is ever-present in society nowadays, it does not mean that it is the cause of each and every cultural trend.

The column listed four reasons for fewer teenagers on the road, yet the headline misleadingly indicates only this negative one, once again condemning my generation for using available technology.

This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 4:56 PM with the headline "Sarah McCall: Don’t blame everything on tech."