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.
