Aim: To investigate the opinions of newly licensed drivers towards the minimum age of car driver licensing, and reasons for getting a licence.
Method: The New Zealand Drivers Study (NZDS) is a prospective cohort study of 3992 newly licensed car drivers in New Zealand, recruited between 1 February 2006 and 31 January 2008 from driver licensing agencies and licensing courses throughout New Zealand. The cohort comprises 51% females and 49% males, 49% were aged 15 years and 28% 16-17 years, 55% self-identified as New Zealand European, 21% Maori, 13% Pacific, 11% Asian, and 15% as "other". After passing the learner licence theory test all participants completed a questionnaire that included a range of questions on driver licensing topics, including minimum driver licence age and reasons for getting a car driver's licence.
Results: Overall, 51% of newly licensed drivers supported 15 years as the minimum age to start licensing but this varied significantly by the age, gender, and residential location of the learner driver. The most frequently reported reason for getting a licence related to independence and freedom. This applied equally to males and females, rural and urban drivers, and across all ages, although for learner drivers aged 18+ years, to drive to work was also a very important reason for having a licence.
Conclusion: Contrary to what many may believe to be the case, the evidence presented here showed that there was not universal opposition by young people to raising the driver licensing age. Also those in rural and urban areas had much in common with respect to the reasons for obtaining a licence. With respect to the latter it is worth noting that travel for work was of most relevance to the learner drivers aged 18 years or older. Overall, these findings suggest that increasing the minimum age for licensing would have relatively little impact on essential travel among young people in New Zealand.
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