Skip to main content

UK’s young drivers diminishing in number

Data available from the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) shows a continuing drop in the number of young people learning to drive. According to DfT research, fewer teenagers and young adults are now taking driving lessons or sitting driving tests than in previous decades. The cost of insurance is thought to be a major factor, since insurance firms have begun using more accurate calculations to determine the risk of young adults being involved in a crash. This has led to a massive jump in insurance premium
September 12, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Data available from the UK’s 5432 Department for Transport (DfT) shows a continuing drop in the number of young people learning to drive. According to DfT research, fewer teenagers and young adults are now taking driving lessons or sitting driving tests than in previous decades. The cost of insurance is thought to be a major factor, since insurance firms have begun using more accurate calculations to determine the risk of young adults being involved in a crash. This has led to a massive jump in insurance premiums for young drivers. The DfT has also calculated that young drivers aged 17-24 have eight times the risk of being involved in a crash than the average driver. The DfT’s data shows that only a third of young men now pass their driving test while still a teenager, compared with 51% in the mid-1990s. However there has only been a comparatively small drop in the number of young females passing their driving test.

The issue of falling interest in driving and cars has been noted in other countries and by auto manufacturers. However. Car firms are engaging in a major debate over encouraging young people to drive, although the issue is more complicated due to the emergence of autonomous car technology.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Shaking all over: controlled frequency vibration for concrete
    November 28, 2018
    The use of controlled frequency vibration for concrete continues to grow, writes Paul Jaworski Controlled frequency vibration (CFV) technology has been around since the mid-1990s for concrete pavement applications. The technology has seen a gradual increase in acceptance, particularly in certain applications. For the 0- to 37mm (1.5”) slump pavement mix designs, many contractors were experiencing material separation due to speeds over 8,000vibrations/minute (VPM). With the wide variability of concrete
  • Pothole problem for England
    January 7, 2025
    Insufficient road maintenance has resulted in a pothole problem for England.
  • US pedestrian deaths fall but still high
    November 26, 2024
    According to analysis from the Governors Highway Safety Association - GHSA – annual US pedestrian traffic deaths fell for first time since the pandemic, but are still above the pre-pandemic level.
  • Set the ALARM for repairs in England and Wales
    January 10, 2019
    More than 3,900km of roads in England and Wales will need essential maintenance within the next year, according to the annual ALARM survey* Cash-strapped local governments are reporting that the gap between the funds they received and the amount they needed for repairs and maintenance was almost €639 million. This equated to an average shortfall of €3.75 million for every authority. It would take 14 years to get local roads back into a reasonable steady state, but only if adequate funds and resources wer