Between mid-April and mid-May, 500 young people responded to Quest's survey, which reveals that 96% of young people believe that flexibility is the main advantage of owning a car. Consequently, the attitude of young people towards cars has not experienced a substantial change.
Whilst politicians are expecting a paradigm shift concerning the use of cars, it appears that same shift has not come to fruition among young drivers just yet. However, young women tended to have more nuanced answers to the question of sustainability than their male counterparts.
Female respondents tended towards less-polluting cars with a lower consumption and seemed more aware of the impact using cars has on the environment. Globally, young women responding to the survey seemed less convinced by the flexibility argument.
Of the respondents, only 2% expressed a refusal to take the driving test. 68% of respondents already have their driver's licenses alongside 15% in the process of taking the test. A further 15% revealed they were considering taking the test.
98% of the respondents also revealed they would accept a company car if offered. Only 2% of the sample said they would refuse a company car, in contrast to 29% of respondents who would pick a car with the highest consumption and pollution levels. 25% said they would select the least-polluting option.
Other main advantages of cars cited by respondents were the practical nature of using cars (95%), autonomy (89%), the feeling of freedom (72%), and the job advantage of being able to drive (68%).
The main disadvantages included the difficulty of finding parking spots (63%), the impact on the environment (49%), the costs inherent in owning a car (42%), and the potential for accidents (34%).
