young people feel driving interferes with texting & electronic communication

[GiG]

Amazing find: . "some young people feel that driving interferes with texting and other electronic communication."[/b]



Study: Fewer young people getting driver's licenses
David Shepardson/ Detroit News Washington Bureau
Washington— Younger Americans aren't speeding to get a driver's license.

A study by the University of Michigan released Thursday found a lower proportion of young people have a driver's license today compared to their counterparts in the early 1980s.

About 87 percent of 19-year-olds in 1983 had their licenses, but in 2008, that percentage fell to about 75 percent.

At the same time, there's been a dramatic increase in the number of older Americans holding onto their driver's licenses.

In 2008, about 94 percent of those ages 65-69 have a driver's license — compared with 79 percent in 1983. For those older than 70, 78 percent still have a license, up from 55 percent in 1983.

In 1983, one-third of all licensed drivers in the United States were younger than 30. Today, only about 22 percent of drivers are in their 20s or are teenagers.

At the same time, more than half of all drivers in 1983 were younger than 40, but today that number has fallen to less than 40 percent. States have imposed more restrictions on younger drivers obtaining licenses — often requiring more time behind the wheel and now granting licenses in stages.

Other teen driving groups have also declined: 18-year-olds fell from 80 percent in 1983 to 65 percent in 2008, 17-year-olds decreased from 69 percent to 50 percent, and 16-year-olds slipped from 46 percent to 31 percent.

Drivers in their 20s and 30s also saw their ranks fall as a percentage of their age group population — down nearly 10 percentage points for those in their 20s and down about five percentage points for those in their 30s.

Automakers have worried that with texting and the Internet, some young people aren't as interested in getting a driver's license.

"It is possible that the availability of virtual contact through electronic means reduces the need for actual contact among young people," said Michael Sivak, research professor at the U-M Transportation Research Institute. "Furthermore, some young people feel that driving interferes with texting and other electronic communication."

In a new study in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention, Sivak and UMTRI colleague Brandon Schoettle examined the changes in the United States from 1983 to 2008 in the percentage of persons with driver's licenses.

They found that young people not only account for a lower percentage of today's total licensed drivers, but that young drivers comprise a smaller portion of their age group as a whole, compared to 1983.

On the other hand, licensed drivers older than 40 have increased their numbers.

In 2008, those 70 and older comprised the largest group of drivers on the road—more than 10 percent — slightly higher than those in their 40s or 50s. Licensed drivers as a percentage of their age group have risen for all groups older than 45 since 1983.

In 1983, between 84 percent and 88 percent of people in their late 50s and early 60s had a driver's license. Now those percentages are in the 95-percent range.

With more older drivers on roads, states have been rethinking testing for older drivers.

By 2025, more than 20 percent of drivers will be older than 65 — and by 2030 there will be 57 million elderly drivers, compared with the 32 million on the roads today.

Older drivers are more likely to wear safety belts and avoid drunken driving and speeding.

And while they get into fewer crashes, they are more likely to die or be injured than younger drivers.

dshepardson@detnews.com



From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111201/AUTO01/112010429/Study--Fewer-young-people-getting-driver-s-licenses#ixzz1fIb5DO4t

[Jack]

My sixteen y/o grand-daughter could care less about learning to drive but don't get between her and her texting!  She hardly stops for mealtime.

[mhallock]

Good....maybe it is keeping more "Texters" off the road!!

Mark

[rmrc51]

For the life of me I just can't understand what all the hype is about texting! I for one "refuse", to answer any text message! All of my friends & family know this. If you want to contact, call me on the damn phone and talk to me. 

[Cruzen]

FINALLY!!!  Some really good news.  Thanks!!

[Valkernaut]

How ridiculous is it for two people(with a "telephone" in there hands) - to be texting one another??

[BigAl]

No contact with live people is the wave of the future.

Bunch of Damn Cowards.

[bigguy]

With my new iPhone 4S, I don't even have to type the text. I can talk to Siri who will type and send the text for me.   

[fudgie]

Good. Less chance for me to be hit by a texter and spill my whiskey sour. 

I text. Esp at work. My partner will be accross to table and I'll text her. Usually about whats going on during a meeting. Sometimes we will do it on runs when we need to say something to each other without the pt knowing what we said.

[musclehead]

this proves that if testing was an olympic event we'd rule! we have the strongest thumbs in the world!!!

seriously, whatever keeps them off the road

[98valk]

isn't texting almost a 6000% markup for the companies. pure profit.

and Only 55% of Americans know that the sun is a star.
http://www.funfactz.com/space-facts/only-55-of-americans-know-that-the-sun-964.html

all to busy texting to look up or study.

[old2soon]

Went to subway tonight with my daughter and her B F F. And no i DID NOT have an issue with the cashier(thank GOD) as the bill was $25.88 and i gave her $26.00 and got back my correctamundo change-a rompin stompin 12 cents. But on the other hand while trying to stuff their face and after they had stuffed their face-text messages WERE flying fast and furious. My house isn't real big nor is it real small. I have seen mama text the daughter while both of them are in the house. My fingers be to durn fat fer texting and i really DO NOT want to learn how. You wanna get holt of me-CALL me. RIDE SAFE.