According to the latest National Travel Survey figures published by the Department for Transport cost is the biggest factor stopping 17 to 20 year olds from learning to drive.
Reasons for not learning to drive by age: England, 2016
| Percentage | ||||||
Reasons | All aged 17+ | 17-20 | 21-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60+ |
Not interested in driving | 30 | 19 | 18 | 23 | 33 | 36 | 45 |
Cost of learning to drive | 26 | 44 | 43 | 33 | 22 | 16 | 8 |
Family / friends can drive me when necessary | 25 | 24 | 21 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 30 |
Cost of buying a car | 21 | 28 | 32 | 28 | 21 | 16 | 9 |
Cost of insurance | 19 | 31 | 27 | 25 | 18 | 12 | 6 |
Other forms of transport available | 16 | 20 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 13 | 11 |
Safety concerns / nervous about driving | 15 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 19 |
Physical difficulties / disabilities / health problems | 11 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 22 | 13 |
Too busy to learn | 9 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Too old | 8 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 7 | 24 |
Other general motoring costs | 7 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 3 |
Busy / congested roads | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
Put off by theory / practical test | 5 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 2 |
Environmental reasons | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Driving without a licence | - | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | - |
Other reason | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 4 |