I was driving at 16 and it would have been a very major hardship for myself and my family had I not been able to. Somebody who can't figure out driving at 16 isn't going to make it in life one way or another.
I was in a similar situation. I drove for 2 years without a license because of some technical difficulty with the state regarding who my legal guardian(s) were lol. For money, I HAD to work, which meant I had to drive. I had no choice. When I was 18 I finally got a license because I was an 'adult'.