Birds on the Brain

Comparing this data between the sexes provides new insights on the broader shift. Men of all age groups still drive more miles than women, largely because they are more likely to commute to a job. But young men reduced their miles more than twice as fast as their female counterparts between 2001 and 2009. Vehicles miles travelled by women fell by over 13 percent during this period to an average of 7,111 miles in 2010. Miles driven by men during these years fell from 12,434 to 8,769, a drop of 29.5 percent.

The standard bearers for America’s obsession with driving are now leading the charge against it.

Young men have even become less likely than young women to hold a driver’s license. Back in 2000, men of every age group were more likely than women to have a driver’s license. But by 2010, men were less likely than women to have a driver’s license for every youth age group. Overall, the number of Americans 14-64 years of age without a driver’s license rose from 21 percent in 2000 to 26 percent in 2012.

(via Phineas Baxandall: In the Public Interest : Women or Men Leading the Trend Away from Driving?)