Changing youth mobility practices: a

transformative pathway?

Debbie Hopkins¹, John Williams² & Sandra Mandic³

¹ Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago

² Department of Marketing, University of Otago

³ School of Physical Education, Sports and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago

GLOBAL TRENDS Youth Mobility

Global youth mobility trends

• Declining youth licensing rates (average 0.6%/year)

• Decreasing kilometres travelled

• Decreasing rates of car ownership.

Changing demographic characteristics

Licensed drivers as a percentage of their age-group population in the USA and Norway

Source: Sivak & Schoettle (2011) http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/86680/102764.pdf?sequence=4

USA NORWAY

Why is this important?

• Sustainable mobility: sustainable, equitable and efficient transport system

Multiple co-benefits:

• Contribution to GHG emissions

• Health concerns/ obesity

• Safety/ traffic accidents

• Social equity & inclusion/exclusion

NEW ZEALAND - NATIONAL Youth Mobility:

New Zealand (national) licensing

Source: New Zealand Household Travel Survey

New Zealand (national) licensing

Source: New Zealand Household Travel Survey

National data – VKT

Kilometres travelled per person per year, 2003–2012 Source: http://nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz/wbos/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=TABLECODE7431

NEW ZEALAND - REGIONAL Youth Mobility:

Regional VKT data

(all ages) - Auckland

Source: http://nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz/wbos/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=TABLECODE7431

Regional VKT data

(all ages) - Otago

Source: http://nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz/wbos/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=TABLECODE7431

Regional VKT data

(all ages) - Southland

Source: http://nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz/wbos/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=TABLECODE7431

DRIVERS OF YOUTH MOBILITY PRACTICES

Youth Mobility

Explanations for changing youth mobility practices:

• Increasing use of ICT and social networking as travel substitution

• The Global Financial Crisis and youth unemployment

• Shifting perceptions of private car ownership/ willingness to use alternative modes

• Environmental concerns

• Changing ‘rite of passage’ events – from driving to the OE?

Internet use/ access

Source: http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/industry_sectors/information_technology_and_communications/HouseholdUseofICT_HOTP2012.aspx

Internet use/ access

Source: http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/industry_sectors/information_technology_and_communications/HouseholdUseofICT_HOTP2012.aspx

Reasons for getting driver’s licence

Factors deemed to be very important:

• ‘Freedom to go where you wish’

• ‘To drive to or from a job’

Factors deemed to be important:

• ‘To go out with mates’

• ‘To help parents’

• ‘For ID’

Source: Begg et al. (2009) The opinion of newly licensed drivers in New Zealand on the minimum car driver licensing age and reasons for getting a licence, The New Zealand Medical Journal Vol 122: 1306

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS Youth Mobility

Built Environment & Active Transport to School (BEATS) research

collaboration

2013 Pilot Study:

Online student survey: n=160 adolescents (age: 15.3 ± 1.5; 49.5% male) from 4 high schools in Dunedin

Themes included:

• Attitudes to driving and licensing

• Mobile phone and internet use

• Importance and value of mobile phones

www.otago.ac.nz/BEATS

ICT & driving demographics

Importance of internet & cars

Attitudes about cars and driving [1]

Attitudes about cars and driving [2]

Attitudes to ICT & cars Attitudes are (mostly) unrelated to being old enough to drive

* = students with driver’s licenses were more likely to agree

A transformative pathway? • Averages can hide important sub-group variation,

and opportunities for change

• Understanding changing youth mobility practices could provide a transformative pathway towards a more sustainable, efficient and equitable transport system

• We need a greater understanding of changes and ways to facilitate and support youth travel demands

• Next steps include: a full survey of Dunedin high school students and interviews with 18-25 year olds in Dunedin, Auckland and Telford.

Changing youth mobility practices: a transformative pathway?

Thank you

Debbie.hopkins@otago.ac.nz