Findings from Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences Provides New Data about Travel Behavior and Society (Licensing Delay Versus Reduced Car Orientation In Germany: a Cohort Perspective Using Panel Data).

This article focuses on recent research from Frankfurt, Germany, examining trends in driver’s license acquisition among young Germans and its implications for travel behavior. The study, funded by the State of Hesse and conducted by the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, analyzes data from the German Mobility Panel (1994–2022) using discrete-time survival models to assess factors influencing licensing, including age, education, employment, and costs. Findings indicate a decline in the share of 17- to 20-year-olds holding driver’s licenses from 57.4% in 2012 to 44.1% in 2025, with younger generations (Gen Y and Gen Z) showing delayed licensing rather than a complete reduction in car orientation. The research highlights that life-course events, such as school graduation, largely explain cohort differences in licensing timing. [Extracted from the article]