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A note: the changing gender demographics of U.S. drivers
Michael Sivak1, Brandon Schoettle
1University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2150, USA. sivak@umich.edu
Objective:
This study examined recent trends in gender differences in the percentage of persons with driver's licenses as a function of age by comparing data from 2010 and 1995.
Method:
The analysis used data from the Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Results:
There are 2 main findings. First, the percentage of males with a driver's license decreased from 1995 to 2010 for those younger than 60; for females a decrease occurred for those younger than 50. Second, in 2010, proportionally more males younger than 45 had a driver's license than was the case for females; the opposite relationship held for persons 45 and older.
Conclusions:
The observed gender trends in driver licensing will likely have major implications on the extent and nature of vehicle demand, energy consumption, and road safety.
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