autoevolution
 

These Are the Biggest Reasons Why Young People Do Not Rush to Learn How to Drive

Fewer and fewer young people are getting behind the wheel, according to statistics from both sides of the Atlantic. With that in mind, the Brits at IAM RoadSmart wanted to find out why young people do not go out and learn how to drive.
Young person behind the wheel 9 photos
Photo: iAM Roadsmart UK
Quentin Willson with his daughter Mini and a Bentley ArnageQuentin Willson with his daughter Mini and a Bentley ArnageQuentin Willson with his daughter Mini and a Bentley ArnageQuentin Willson with his daughter Mini and a Bentley ArnageFord and GHSA Teen accident report 2021Ford and GHSA Teen accident report 2021Ford and GHSA Teen accident report 2021Ford and GHSA Teen accident report 2021
They surveyed 1,000 young drivers, all aged between 17 and 24. After we all chill from the initial shock that we are not young anymore, not according to statistics, at least, we can go and check out the most common replies from Gen Z.

Almost three in ten replied that the cost of learning how to drive is the main reason why they have not signed up for driving lessons. The same percentage of respondents, so still 29 percent, replied that the cost of running a car is the reason they have not learned how to drive, as it would be a pointless expense since they cannot afford one.

Since two reasons are matched in the first place as the reason people aged 17 to 24 in the UK do not sign up for driving school, the second spot is the price of the driving test itself. As you can see, there is a trend here and that trend shows us that it has become more expensive to learn how to drive, operate a car, and take a driving test.

With all three put together, the world will have fewer young drivers on the road. That may prove an issue in a few years, as those people will not buy a car even if they could afford one because they do not have a license to drive one.

Just 11 percent of respondents to this survey claimed that recommendations on not driving from friends or family were the reason behind their decision to delay their driving school tuition. Interestingly, 26 percent noted fear of driving as the main reason why they are not signed up for driving school.

Other issues include finding the time to go through classes and taking the test, finding and buying a car after passing the test, and waiting lists on tests, which are an issue in the UK at the moment.

Neil Greig, the Director of Policy and Research at IAM RoadSmart, shared his thoughts on the issue. In his view, the rise in cheap taxi-hailing mobile apps and the increased numbers going into higher education have led to a decline in people wanting to learn how to drive at a young age in the UK.

As Neil Greig underlines, and this is a matter of society across the world, if you ask us, many young people lack the financial confidence to commit to running a car. Their decision is made easier to live with due to cheaper alternative forms of travel, such as e-scooters and other last-mile mobility devices that can be rented through apps.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)

Editor's note: Photo gallery shows 11-year-old driving a specially-adapted Bentley Arnage for illustration purposes, along with results of another study that focused on teen driver safety.

press release
About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories