It now appears that driving has become less popular as it has been on the decline these past years. Teens and twenty-somethings have begun to prefer walking or riding bikes, and the rush to obtain a Driver's License has faded. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that the estimated miles driven on all U.S. roads has plunged 8.75 percent since June 2005. It is not uncommon to drive less during recessions, since fewer people are working, and most are looking for ways to save money, but it seems with the new generation what has decreased the "drive" to drive may have to do more with online social interaction rather than the recession. It is more common now to interact with friends via social media outlets, and many of today's youth do not feel the need to physically travel to establish contact.
This new trend is contrary to the previous generations for whom driving was a birthright and the open road a symbol of freedom. That is no longer the case. As we continue to dive into the 21st century, and as online life continues to develop, social interaction will evolve with driving subtracted from the equation. Communications technology, which provides young people with new social-networking and recreational possibilities, has become a substitute for some car trips.
There has also been a startling drop-off in the car culture of American youth: "From 2001 to 2009, the average annual number of vehicle-miles traveled by young people (16 to 34-year-olds) decreased from 10,300 miles to 7,900 miles per capita—a drop of 23 percent,” reads a Frontier Group study published last April.
The same study also outlines other telling trends. From 2001 to 2009, 16- to 34-year-olds took 24 percent more bike trips and were 16 percent more likely to walk to their destinations. Meanwhile, from 2000 to 2010, the share of 14- to 34-year-olds without drivers’ licenses increased from 21 percent to 26 percent. Many young people now prefer to live where they can walk, bike, or take public transportation. Some are ditching cars for environmental reasons. Other contributing factors may include improved public transportation, as well as laws that make it more difficult to obtain a driver’s license.
