15 June 2023
Work and education are the top motivations for young people getting their driving licence, reveals new research* from the AA Driving School.
The majority of young drivers (61%) surveyed said they had a personal deadline they wanted to pass their driving test in time for. This fell to one fifth (21%) amongst drivers of all ages, indicating younger drivers are more motivated by specific goals to get behind the wheel.
Older drivers aged 65 plus were the most likely to say they had no ambition to pass their driving test by a particular point (81%). Just 3% of older drivers had been motivated to pass their driving test by starting further education, while 9% were spurred on by a work commitment.
While the overall top motivator amongst young drivers aged 18-to-24 was to pass in time for the summer (20%), passing in time for a work commitment, educational commitment or starting further education motivated almost half (49%) to switch their provisional licence for a full.
The top deadlines young drivers (18-to-24) wanted to pass their practical test in time for were:
- In time for summer (20%)
- A work commitment (19%)
- Starting further education (19%)
- Leaving childhood home (12%)
- Their birthday (12%)
- An educational commitment (11%)
- Driving to a holiday (5%)
- Before the weather worsened (3%)
“Having a driving licence is a gateway to independent adult life for many young people.”
According to AA Driving School data, in 2022 the most popular month for driving lessons is November**, perhaps aligning with those who want to pass before the start of the next academic year.
Camilla Benitz AA Driving School Managing Director said: “It is really interesting to see what motivates today’s young drivers to pass their test compared to older generations.
“The pandemic and cost-of-living crisis mean most people are really considering how to spend their time and money. For young people, learning to drive is clearly more of a practical consideration rather than an emotional one and they are really looking at the benefits driving will bring them.
“Having a driving licence is a gateway to independent adult life for many young people. It opens up the door to more education and employment opportunities, which perhaps they are under greater pressure to consider than previous generations.
“The fly in the ointment to this is the driving test backlog*** which means many learners up and down the country are facing lengthy waits to book their practical test. The fact so many are clearly trying to pass in order to access education or employment only makes the backlog a more bitter pill to swallow.”
For more information about the AA Driving School visit Find Driving Instructors Near You with AA Driving School (theaa.com)
*Yonder conducted an online sample of 13,340 UK adults aged 18-65+ between 5th and 19th April 2023. Data is weighted to be representative of the population of the UK. Targets for quotas and weights are taken from the PAMCO survey, a random probability survey conducted annually with 35,000 adults. Yonder is a founding member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
**AA Driving School lesson data analysis from April 2021 to June 2023.