Our Nation’s Highways 2026
Drivers
Historically, getting a driver’s license has been a rite of passage for American adolescents, and retaining a driver’s license has been a sign of continuing independence for American seniors. The Nation reached 240 million licensed drivers in 2024. With a population aged 16 and over of 275 million, 87 percent of the driving-age population has a license. From 2004 to 2024, the median age of a person with a driver’s license increased from 40 to 44 years old to 45 to 49 years old due in part to a smaller proportion of younger people (below 20) with licenses and a larger portion of older people (70 and above) with them. In 2024, licensed drivers traveled an average of 13,735 miles. This chapter examines changes in the number of licensed drivers over time, differences across States, changes in licensing by age and sex, and characteristics of personal vehicle trips.
Drive Through History
March 22, 1900
Anne Rainsford French becomes the first licensed woman driver in Washington, D.C., and possibly the first in the U.S., (although the claim is debated), obtaining a steam engineer’s license to operate a “four-wheeled vehicle powered by steam or gas.”
Driver’s Licenses Over Time and Across the U.S.
The number of licensed drivers in the U.S. increased significantly over time from 59 million in 1949 to the all-time high of 240 million in 2024. As seen in Table 5-1, the number of licensed drivers has increased steadily from 1963 until today. Over this period, total drivers increased in all but two years (2012 and 2020). In the 50 years from 1974 to 2024, the U.S. added about 114 million licensed drivers or about 2.3 million per year.
Table 5-2 shows how female versus male licensed drivers have changed over time. In 1963, there were about 19 million more licensed male than female drivers. In 2005, for the first time, the number of licensed female drivers exceeded the number of licensed male drivers. By 2024, there were 2.3 million more licensed female than male drivers.
Licensed Drivers, 1949-2024 and Licensed Drivers by Sex, 1963-2024
| Year | Female Drivers (in millions) |
Male Drivers (in millions) |
All Licensed Drivers (in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 59 | ||
| 1950 | 62 | ||
| 1951 | 64 | ||
| 1952 | 67 | ||
| 1953 | 70 | ||
| 1954 | 72 | ||
| 1955 | 75 | ||
| 1956 | 78 | ||
| 1957 | 80 | ||
| 1958 | 82 | ||
| 1959 | 84 | ||
| 1960 | 87 | ||
| 1961 | 89 | ||
| 1962 | 91 | ||
| 1963 | 37 | 57 | 94 |
| 1964 | 38 | 57 | 95 |
| 1965 | 40 | 58 | 99 |
| 1966 | 42 | 59 | 101 |
| 1967 | 43 | 60 | 103 |
| 1968 | 44 | 61 | 105 |
| 1969 | 46 | 62 | 108 |
| 1970 | 48 | 63 | 112 |
| 1971 | 50 | 64 | 114 |
| 1972 | 52 | 66 | 118 |
| 1973 | 54 | 67 | 122 |
| 1974 | 57 | 69 | 125 |
| 1975 | 59 | 71 | 130 |
| 1976 | 62 | 73 | 134 |
| 1977 | 64 | 74 | 138 |
| 1978 | 65 | 76 | 141 |
| 1979 | 67 | 77 | 143 |
| 1980 | 68 | 77 | 145 |
| 1981 | 69 | 78 | 147 |
| 1982 | 72 | 79 | 150 |
| 1983 | 73 | 81 | 154 |
| 1984 | 74 | 81 | 155 |
| 1985 | 75 | 82 | 157 |
| 1986 | 77 | 83 | 159 |
| 1987 | 78 | 84 | 162 |
| 1988 | 79 | 84 | 163 |
| 1989 | 80 | 85 | 166 |
| 1990 | 81 | 86 | 167 |
| 1991 | 82 | 87 | 169 |
| 1992 | 85 | 88 | 173 |
| 1993 | 85 | 88 | 173 |
| 1994 | 86 | 89 | 175 |
| 1995 | 87 | 89 | 177 |
| 1996 | 89 | 91 | 180 |
| 1997 | 91 | 92 | 183 |
| 1998 | 92 | 93 | 185 |
| 1999 | 93 | 94 | 187 |
| 2000 | 95 | 96 | 191 |
| 2001 | 95 | 96 | 191 |
| 2002 | 97 | 97 | 194 |
| 2003 | 98 | 98 | 196 |
| 2004 | 99 | 100 | 199 |
| 2005 | 100 | 100 | 201 |
| 2006 | 102 | 101 | 203 |
| 2007 | 103 | 102 | 206 |
| 2008 | 105 | 104 | 208 |
| 2009 | 105 | 104 | 210 |
| 2010 | 106 | 104 | 210 |
| 2011 | 107 | 105 | 212 |
| 2012 | 107 | 105 | 212 |
| 2013 | 107 | 105 | 212 |
| 2014 | 108 | 106 | 214 |
| 2015 | 110 | 108 | 218 |
| 2016 | 112 | 110 | 222 |
| 2017 | 114 | 111 | 225 |
| 2018 | 115 | 112 | 228 |
| 2019 | 116 | 113 | 229 |
| 2020 | 116 | 113 | 228 |
| 2021 | 118 | 115 | 233 |
| 2022 | 119 | 116 | 235 |
| 2023 | 120 | 118 | 238 |
| 2024 | 121 | 119 | 240 |
Nationally, there were 71 licensed drivers for every 100 residents in 2024. However, the number of licensed drivers per 100 residents differs significantly from State to State. As shown in Table 5-3, licensed drivers per 100 residents ranged from a low of 59 in Kansas to a high of 96 in Arkansas. In addition to Kansas, D.C., Kentucky, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas also had fewer than 65 licensed drivers per 100 residents. Besides Arkansas, only one other State, Delaware, had more than 80 licensed drivers per 100 residents.
Licensed Drivers per Capita by State, 2024
| State | Drivers per Capita |
|---|---|
| Arkansas | 0.96 |
| Delaware | 0.87 |
| Arizona | 0.78 |
| Montana | 0.78 |
| New Hampshire | 0.78 |
| Colorado | 0.77 |
| Maine | 0.77 |
| Michigan | 0.77 |
| Washington | 0.77 |
| Wyoming | 0.77 |
| South Carolina | 0.76 |
| South Dakota | 0.76 |
| Alaska | 0.75 |
| Louisiana | 0.75 |
| North Dakota | 0.75 |
| Wisconsin | 0.75 |
| Alabama | 0.74 |
| Florida | 0.74 |
| Iowa | 0.74 |
| Nebraska | 0.74 |
| New Mexico | 0.74 |
| North Carolina | 0.74 |
| Oregon | 0.74 |
| Vermont | 0.74 |
| Minnesota | 0.73 |
| New Jersey | 0.73 |
| Connecticut | 0.72 |
| Ohio | 0.72 |
| Tennessee | 0.72 |
| California | 0.71 |
| Idaho | 0.71 |
| Mississippi | 0.71 |
| Nevada | 0.71 |
| Georgia | 0.70 |
| Indiana | 0.70 |
| Massachusetts | 0.70 |
| Missouri | 0.70 |
| Pennsylvania | 0.70 |
| Rhode Island | 0.70 |
| Illinois | 0.69 |
| Maryland | 0.69 |
| Virginia | 0.69 |
| Hawaii | 0.68 |
| Utah | 0.66 |
| West Virginia | 0.65 |
| New York | 0.63 |
| Oklahoma | 0.63 |
| Texas | 0.63 |
| Kentucky | 0.61 |
| Dist. of Col. | 0.60 |
| Kansas | 0.59 |
| U.S. | 0.71 |
Table 5-4 shows the distribution of licensed drivers by age groups. Based upon 5-year cohorts, the median aged driver is 45 to 49, but the largest cohort is 30 to 34 (9 percent of drivers). Licensed drivers aged 80 or older comprise a slightly larger percentage (4.4 percent) than drivers under 20 (3.7 percent).
Licensed Drivers by Age, 2024
| Age | Percent of Drivers |
|---|---|
| 16-19 | 4% |
| 20-29 | 16% |
| 30-44 | 26% |
| 45-59 | 24% |
| 60-69 | 16% |
| 70-79 | 10% |
| 80+ | 4% |
Table 5-5 compares the percentage of the population with driver’s licenses across age groups in 2004 and 2024. In most age groups and by sex, the percentage of people with a driver’s license did not change more than 2 percent from 2004 to 2024. However, three age groups showed larger changes. The percentage of 16- to 19-year-olds with a driver’s license decreased by 7 percent, likely indicating a trend towards people obtaining licenses later in life. The decrease appears to have occurred for both men and women, and the population without licenses was almost evenly split between them. The percentage of 70- to 79-year-olds with licenses increased by 8 percent, and it increased by 16 percent for the 80 and older age group. This shift likely reflects older drivers retaining licenses as they age as well as the generational shift where people, particularly women, are more likely to have licenses. Table 5-5 also shows that the increases in licensure in the oldest age groups mostly occurred among women.
Percent of Population by License Status, Age, and Sex, 2020 and 2024
| Age | Year | Male with License | Female with License | Male without License | Female without License |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-19 | 2004 | 29% | 28% | 22% | 21% |
| 16-19 | 2024 | 26% | 24% | 25% | 25% |
| 20-29 | 2004 | 43% | 42% | 9% | 7% |
| 20-29 | 2024 | 44% | 41% | 7% | 8% |
| 30-44 | 2004 | 47% | 45% | 4% | 4% |
| 30-44 | 2024 | 45% | 45% | 5% | 4% |
| 45-59 | 2004 | 47% | 47% | 2% | 4% |
| 45-59 | 2024 | 46% | 46% | 4% | 4% |
| 60-69 | 2004 | 46% | 47% | 1% | 6% |
| 60-69 | 2024 | 45% | 47% | 3% | 4% |
| 70-79 | 2004 | 41% | 44% | 3% | 13% |
| 70-79 | 2024 | 43% | 48% | 3% | 6% |
| 80+ | 2004 | 29% | 34% | 6% | 31% |
| 80+ | 2024 | 37% | 43% | 3% | 17% |
Drive Through History
May - July 1903
The First Coast to Coast Automobile Trip
The first transcontinental trip by automobile was made by Dr. H. Nelson Jackson, a prominent surgeon, from Burlington, Vermont, in a 20-horsepower Winton touring car. Without fanfare, at his own expense, and motivated only by the ambition to be the first to complete the cross-country journey, Jackson left the Golden Gate City on May 23, 1903. Jackson avoided newspaper publicity because of a lingering doubt that the trip was possible. He arranged to have parts forwarded as needed along the road and loaded his vehicle with supplies including a block and tackle. The route led across the Sierra Nevada Mountains, to Oregon and then east to the plains of Nebraska and black mud of Iowa. Jackson noted that from Nebraska east to the Hudson River “it rained every day and all day.” His rope pulley changed defeat into victory again and again, un-miring his car eighteen times in one day using the rear axle as a windlass to power the rope tackle. Continuing on through Illinois to New York, traversing all eleven States, the journey’s numerous detours added nearly 3,000 miles, avoiding impassable trails and flooded areas. On July 26, 1903, averaging more than 90 miles a day, Jackson finally reached the New York metropolis.
Travel Distances
Table 5-6 shows the change in vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) per licensed driver over time. The amount of travel per licensed driver generally increased from 1949 to a peak in 2005. The only years with declines before 2005 were 1974, 1979, and 1980. After dropping from the 2005 peak of about 15,000 miles to about 14,000 miles in 2011, VMT per driver leveled off before declining precipitously in 2020. The 13,735 miles in 2024 represented the fourth continuous year of increases after the low of 12,724 miles per licensed driver in 2020.
Annual Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) per Licensed Driver, 1949-2024
| Year | VMT per Driver |
|---|---|
| 1949 | 7,155 |
| 1950 | 7,368 |
| 1951 | 7,620 |
| 1952 | 7,685 |
| 1953 | 7,792 |
| 1954 | 7,816 |
| 1955 | 8,109 |
| 1956 | 8,085 |
| 1957 | 8,100 |
| 1958 | 8,152 |
| 1959 | 8,290 |
| 1960 | 8,238 |
| 1961 | 8,310 |
| 1962 | 8,464 |
| 1963 | 8,606 |
| 1964 | 8,865 |
| 1965 | 9,013 |
| 1966 | 9,167 |
| 1967 | 9,344 |
| 1968 | 9,637 |
| 1969 | 9,804 |
| 1970 | 9,949 |
| 1971 | 10,302 |
| 1972 | 10,639 |
| 1973 | 10,803 |
| 1974 | 10,210 |
| 1975 | 10,229 |
| 1976 | 10,463 |
| 1977 | 10,621 |
| 1978 | 10,967 |
| 1979 | 10,672 |
| 1980 | 10,512 |
| 1981 | 10,575 |
| 1982 | 10,617 |
| 1983 | 10,705 |
| 1984 | 11,068 |
| 1985 | 11,314 |
| 1986 | 11,505 |
| 1987 | 11,873 |
| 1988 | 12,440 |
| 1989 | 12,663 |
| 1990 | 12,839 |
| 1991 | 12,853 |
| 1992 | 12,980 |
| 1993 | 13,262 |
| 1994 | 13,441 |
| 1995 | 13,717 |
| 1996 | 13,923 |
| 1997 | 14,057 |
| 1998 | 14,297 |
| 1999 | 14,464 |
| 2000 | 14,502 |
| 2001 | 14,709 |
| 2002 | 14,790 |
| 2003 | 14,828 |
| 2004 | 14,993 |
| 2005 | 15,005 |
| 2006 | 14,959 |
| 2007 | 14,820 |
| 2008 | 14,366 |
| 2009 | 14,196 |
| 2010 | 14,207 |
| 2011 | 13,993 |
| 2012 | 14,016 |
| 2013 | 14,085 |
| 2014 | 14,200 |
| 2015 | 14,260 |
| 2016 | 14,318 |
| 2017 | 14,310 |
| 2018 | 14,306 |
| 2019 | 14,328 |
| 2020 | 12,724 |
| 2021 | 13,456 |
| 2022 | 13,596 |
| 2023 | 13,662 |
| 2024 | 13,735 |
The National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) provides detailed information on daily travel by all modes of transportation and for all purposes. It includes vehicle trips, which are trips by a single privately-operated vehicle. The NHTS provides information about the number of vehicle trips and their distances. As such, it provides insight into the driving patterns associated with Americans’ personal vehicles.
As seen in Table 5-7, most personal vehicle trips were short with almost half (46 percent) under 5 miles in length. In fact, an estimated 16 percent of vehicle trips were 1 mile or less in length. These frequent short trips of less than 5 miles, however, only accounted for 9 percent of vehicle miles driven. At the other extreme, long-distance travel (trips of 50 miles or greater) accounted for 3 percent of all trips, but this long-distance travel accounted for 29 percent of vehicle miles driven. Overall, most personal vehicle trips were less than 10 miles (69 percent), but most of the driving (57 percent of total miles) occurred on trips 20 miles or greater in length.
Vehicle Trips by Number of Trips and Trip Distance, 2022
| Miles | Percent of Trips by Number of Trips |
Percent of Trips by Total Distance |
|---|---|---|
| <1 to 4 | 46% | 9% |
| 5-9 | 23% | 13% |
| 10-19 | 18% | 21% |
| 20-49 | 11% | 28% |
| >50 | 3% | 29% |