Less Gen Z Americans own a driver's license than previous generations, according to consulting firm McKinsey.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/10937558

This group of Americans is less likely to have a license than its older counterparts at the same age. McKinsey points out that in 1997, 43 percent of 16-year-olds and 62 percent of 17-year-olds held a license. But those numbers have dropped substantially, and by 2020, only 25 percent of 16-year-olds and 45 percent of 17-year-olds have a driver’s license, the consulting firm said citing data from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration.

Rare Gen Z W (as a Gen Z).

I thought this was mainly an European movement, but looking at this it appears that the USA too, despite being a mostly car oriented country, is following suit. Nice.

The article also mentions how having a car might have become too expensive for many, which isn’t something to party about, but I am mostly concerned with young people no longer rushing to grab a licence the second they turn 18 (or earlier, depending on local country laws). Hopefully this will help shaping urban planning in a more sensible and humane direction.

  • XYZinfernoEnglish
    2•10 months ago

    I feel like COVID probably had an impact on this somewhat, depending on when in 2020 the poll was conducted. Not being able to go outside would kinda hinder one’s ability to learn to drive and acquire a license

    • Nerd02OPMEnglish
      2•10 months ago

      That is a fair point. I tried looking up some charts to check that flow over the years but as it turns out I’m not familiar enough with the bureaucratic jungle of the US Highway Administration, so I couldn’t find anything. The wording of the article does make it seem like a trend over the years, rather than an isolated drop in 2020, but without any further data I can only speculate about its magnitude.