Young drivers turning back to cars amid coronavirus restrictions

UK's largest driving school reports 40 per cent increase in enquiries

Young drivers turning back to cars amid coronavirus restrictions
Image: Bigstock.

Young drivers are turning back to driving following a recent trend which saw many avoid learning to drive until their late 20s prior to coronavirus restrictions, new data reveals.

Auto Trader has has found a year-on-year increase of 18-24 year olds – or Gen-Z’ers – looking at cars onsite to avoid public transport and car-sharing.

15 per cent of its audience fell into this age group between June 1 and September 20, compared with just six per cent in the same period last year.

This increased appetite for driving among Gen Z is also mirrored in the number of people that want to learn to drive.

Red, the largest driving school in the UK, has seen a 40 per cent increase in enquiries over the past four weeks.

Auto Trader’s Rory Reid said: “The pandemic has shifted young people’s views of car ownership and gotten them to hit the road earlier than usual, as they look to rely less on public transport and try to minimise risk of spreading coronavirus.

“This is great for the car industry overall as it opens up a new pool of buyers, and of course benefits the drivers themselves as they get far more freedom when travelling.

“It’s a great time to buy a car, as there’s an enormous range of makes and models available, including electric cars and hybrids – an important consideration for Gen Z buyers who are looking for more environmentally friendly options.”

Ian McIntosh, Red’s CEO, said: “Since driving lessons resumed in England on July 4, we have seen an unprecedented number of new customers wishing to learn to drive with Red.

“I’m pleased to say that we now have more than 1,400 driving instructors on the roads across the UK and they are flat-out working to meet this new demand which has come from the backlog created by lockdown and a new wave of learners who are keen to get behind the wheel in order to minimise their time spent on public transport.”

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