Licensed Drivers, Population, and Motor Vehicles
In 1950, 57 percent of the driving age population were licensed to drive a motor vehicle. By 1993, 87.6 percent of the driving age population were licensed drivers. There were 1.26 licensed drivers for every registered motor vehicle in 1950. In 1970 the ratio was about one to one, and by 1993 it had fallen to 0.89, or 1.2 vehicles per licensed driver.
Page 14
Licensed Drivers by Age and Sex
There were 173,149,313 licensed drivers in the United States in 1993. Although the 30-34 age group contains the largest percentage of licensed drivers, the average age of licensed drivers is shifting upward as the average population ages and as older drivers continue to hold licenses. Drivers age 60 and older continue to increase and now represent 33.2 percent of total licensed drivers compared with 14.6 percent in 1973 and 16.9 percent in 1983. Forty-nine percent (85,155,864) of the 173 million licensed drivers were women. The number of female drivers has increased 56.5 percent since 1973 compared with a 31.1 percent increase in male drivers.
Page 15
Back to Contents