According to researchers at the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, more internet users means fewer drivers among people under 30.
In 1983, a third of all licensed drivers in the U.S. were under age 30; today, it’s about 22%. About 94% of Americans in their 20s had their driver’s licence in 1983, compared to about 84% in 2008.
Several other countries, including Canada, the UK, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Norway and South Korea, have experienced similar declines. Israel, Finland, Poland, Latvia, Spain, Switzerland and the Netherlands experienced an increase in both young and older drivers over the same period, although the increase was generally smaller in the younger group.
“Higher societal wealth, an older population in general and a higher proportion of the population living in megacities were each associated with higher licensure rates among young persons,” said researcher Michael Sivak. “These patterns are possibly reflections of higher mobility being associated with these factors.
“On the other hand, countries with higher proportions of Internet users were associated with loer licensure rates among young persons, which is consistent with the hypothesis that access to virtual contact through electronic means reduces the need for actual contact among young people.”
Source: University of Michigan
In 1983, a third of all licensed drivers in the U.S. were under age 30; today, it’s about 22%. About 94% of Americans in their 20s had their driver’s licence in 1983, compared to about 84% in 2008.
Several other countries, including Canada, the UK, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Norway and South Korea, have experienced similar declines. Israel, Finland, Poland, Latvia, Spain, Switzerland and the Netherlands experienced an increase in both young and older drivers over the same period, although the increase was generally smaller in the younger group.
“Higher societal wealth, an older population in general and a higher proportion of the population living in megacities were each associated with higher licensure rates among young persons,” said researcher Michael Sivak. “These patterns are possibly reflections of higher mobility being associated with these factors.
“On the other hand, countries with higher proportions of Internet users were associated with loer licensure rates among young persons, which is consistent with the hypothesis that access to virtual contact through electronic means reduces the need for actual contact among young people.”
Source: University of Michigan