Number of Young Ohioans Getting Driver’s License Drops

Article

Fewer young people in Ohio are getting their driver’s license, according to state data and new research.

The number of licensed drivers in Ohio ages 16 to 20 is 8.5 percent lower than 10 years ago, The Columbus Dispatch reports. During that same span, the number of licensed drivers statewide increased by about 2.2 percent.

Additionally, the number of driving trips taken by people ages 16 to 34 have decreased by 15 percent per capita, according to a new report by the Ohio Public Interest Research Group.

Delays in major life events like getting married or entering the workforce may be factors for young people waiting to get behind the wheel, according to the report. Better technology to find rides, the high cost of gasoline during young people’s lifetime and living in city centers also make it easier for millennials to go without cards, researchers said. The cost of owning a vehicle can also be a deterrent factor.

The research group predicts the downward trend in young drivers will continue. Such a decrease could affect gas prices in the future as well as the state’s road budget, which is linked to fuel taxes.