Majority of young people expect to be regular drivers

An ‘overwhelming majority’ of young people expect to be driving regularly in the future, a survey by Ipsos for the RAC Foundation suggests.

Aside from those unable to drive because of a disability or health condition, 85% of 17-24 year-olds think it is certain or likely they will be driving a car or van at least once a week by 2035, even though only 56% currently do so now.

More than three quarters of those respondents had some form of valid UK driving licence, either full (49%) or provisional (27%).

The most common reasons given by those questioned for believing they will start driving include an expectation their lifestyles will require it and a belief that driving will be more convenient for them than either public transport or active travel (such as walking and cycling).

Amongst those questioned who had not taken a driving test the most common reasons given for not doing so were:

• Cost of lessons (33%)
• Cost of buying, leasing or hiring a car (26%)
• Lack of time (26%)
• Driving not a priority (23%)

Young people also recognised that driving is set to change in the coming years, and many were optimistic about it with 70% feeling positive about electric cars, though there was a split in opinion about the roll out of fully autonomous vehicles with 37% supporting it but a similar number (35%) opposing it.

There is a broader recognition of the need to reduce the environmental impact of driving. 

Four in ten (40%) of those who drive regularly said they have already cut down on the car journeys they make, while a further 40% who have not yet cut down on car journeys said they’d be willing to do so over the next five years.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “There is much speculation on whether the young people of today will turn out to be the drivers of tomorrow or whether they will learn to live without getting behind the wheel. The evidence here is that the vast majority see themselves as motorists within the next decade or so.

“Previous research we have done has shown the importance knowing how to drive can be to securing a job. The question is how much the transport landscape has changed by Covid with the answer appearing to be; by not as much as might have been first thought.

“Encouragingly, young people are well aware of the need to reduce or mitigate the negative impacts of driving and there is majority support for low-traffic neighbourhoods, investment in cycling infrastructure and the introduction of clean air zones.”

---