IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/transp/v41y2014i5p1071-1098.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

What is the relationship between online activity and driving-licence-holding amongst young adults?

Author

Listed:
  • Scott Le Vine
  • Charilaos Latinopoulos
  • John Polak

Abstract

There is growing interest amongst both practitioners and researchers in the correlates of young adults’ driving-licence-acquisition. One aspect of the ongoing scholarly debate is whether taking part in online (i.e. virtual) activities may be associated with young adults feeling less need to drive and hence to acquire a driving licence. This paper addresses this issue by drawing on analysis of two distinct datasets. Both contain rich pseudo-diary instruments in which people indicate detailed characteristics of their unique online-activity profile. This includes both indicators of the types of online activities in which respondents participate, and a separate metric of internet-use intensity. The latter is defined in one dataset as the amount of time/week spent online, and in the other dataset the frequency of their internet use. On the basis of a set of multivariate regression analyses, a positive (i.e. complementary) cross-sectional relationship between young adults’ online activity and licence-holding was found. We find that young adults who use the internet are, net of confounding effects, more likely to hold a driving licence than otherwise identical young adults who do not use the internet. Both datasets show this type of effect, and it is robust across a range of model specifications, including multi-stage estimations to address cross-correlation between indicators of internet usage. In addition to the positive net statistical association, we also report several other noteworthy effects. Of the six effects associated with online-activity types that are directly comparable between the two datasets, we find that the correlation in the parameter estimates across the two datasets is 0.63. This suggests similar types of relationships across the two datasets. Also, in several (but not all) of our analyses we found an inverted ‘U’ shaped ceteris paribus relationship between intensity-of-internet-use and licence-holding. The positive net statistical association between internet use and licence-holding is a different relationship than previously reported in the literature, and therefore further research is needed to reconcile the differences (which are likely due at least in part to different methodological approaches and data resources). Further research is also needed to continue to resolve between the relative saliency of other hypothesised determinants of licence-holding (e.g. economic and socio-demographic explanators, as well as licence-acquisition regimes that vary by time and place). Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Scott Le Vine & Charilaos Latinopoulos & John Polak, 2014. "What is the relationship between online activity and driving-licence-holding amongst young adults?," Transportation, Springer, vol. 41(5), pages 1071-1098, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:transp:v:41:y:2014:i:5:p:1071-1098
    DOI: 10.1007/s11116-014-9528-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s11116-014-9528-3
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11116-014-9528-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Scott Vine & Charilaos Latinopoulos & John Polak, 2014. "Erratum to: What is the relationship between online activity and driving-licence-holding amongst young adults?," Transportation, Springer, vol. 41(6), pages 1341-1341, November.
    2. Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 1990. "A Typology of Relationships Between Telecommunications And Transportation," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt4rx589m0, University of California Transportation Center.
    3. Tobias Kuhnimhof & Jimmy Armoogum & Ralph Buehler & Joyce Dargay & Jon Martin Denstadli & Toshiyuki Yamamoto, 2012. "Men Shape a Downward Trend in Car Use among Young Adults—Evidence from Six Industrialized Countries," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(6), pages 761-779, September.
    4. Kay, Andrew I. & Noland, Robert B. & Rodier, Caroline J., 2014. "Achieving reductions in greenhouse gases in the US road transportation sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 536-545.
    5. Patricia L. Mokhtarian, 2002. "Telecommunications and Travel: The Case for Complementarity," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 6(2), pages 43-57, April.
    6. Robert Puentes, 2012. "Have Americans Hit Peak Travel?: A Discussion of the Changes in US Driving Habits," International Transport Forum Discussion Papers 2012/14, OECD Publishing.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Delbosc, Alexa & Mokhtarian, Patricia, 2018. "Face to Facebook: The relationship between social media and social travel," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 20-27.
    2. Delbosc, Alexa & Nakanishi, Hitomi, 2017. "A life course perspective on the travel of Australian millennials," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 319-336.
    3. Nurul Habib, Khandker, 2018. "Modelling the choice and timing of acquiring a driver’s license: Revelations from a hazard model applied to the University students in Toronto," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 374-386.
    4. Muromachi, Yasunori, 2017. "Experiences of past school travel modes by university students and their intention of future car purchase," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 209-220.
    5. Blumenberg, Evelyn & Ralph, Kelcie & Smart, Michael & Taylor, Brian D., 2016. "Who knows about kids these days? Analyzing the determinants of youth and adult mobility in the U.S. between 1990 and 2009," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 39-54.
    6. Klein, Nicholas J. & Guerra, Erick & Smart, Michael J., 2018. "The Philadelphia story: Age, race, gender and changing travel trends," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 19-25.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Klein, Nicholas J. & Smart, Michael J., 2017. "Millennials and car ownership: Less money, fewer cars," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 20-29.
    2. Aguiléra, Anne & Guillot, Caroline & Rallet, Alain, 2012. "Mobile ICTs and physical mobility: Review and research agenda," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 664-672.
    3. Kunbo Shi & Long Cheng & Jonas De Vos & Yongchun Yang & Wanpeng Cao & Frank Witlox, 2021. "How does purchasing intangible services online influence the travel to consume these services? A focus on a Chinese context," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(5), pages 2605-2625, October.
    4. Choo, Sangho, 2003. "Aggregate Relationships between Telecommunications and Travel: Structural Equation Modeling of Time Series Data," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt4p78h623, University of California Transportation Center.
    5. Okyere, Dennis Kwadwo & Poku-Boansi, Michael & Adarkwa, Kwasi Kwafo, 2018. "Connecting the dots: The nexus between transport and telecommunication in Ghana," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(10), pages 836-844.
    6. Lee, Taihyeong & Mokhtarian, Patricia L, 2004. "An Input-Output Analysis of the Relationships between Communications and Travel for Industry," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt09n3d2k1, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    7. Petr Matous & Yasuyuki Todo & Ayu Pratiwi, 2015. "The role of motorized transport and mobile phones in the diffusion of agricultural information in Tanggamus Regency, Indonesia," Transportation, Springer, vol. 42(5), pages 771-790, September.
    8. Blumenberg, Evelyn & Ralph, Kelcie & Smart, Michael & Taylor, Brian D., 2016. "Who knows about kids these days? Analyzing the determinants of youth and adult mobility in the U.S. between 1990 and 2009," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 39-54.
    9. Hjorthol, Randi, 2016. "Decreasing popularity of the car? Changes in driving licence and access to a car among young adults over a 25-year period in Norway," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 140-146.
    10. Choo, Sangho & Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 2007. "Telecommunications and travel demand and supply: Aggregate structural equation models for the US," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 4-18, January.
    11. Muromachi, Yasunori, 2017. "Experiences of past school travel modes by university students and their intention of future car purchase," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 209-220.
    12. Berg, Jessica & Henriksson, Malin, 2020. "In search of the ‘good life’: Understanding online grocery shopping and everyday mobility as social practices," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    13. Taihyeong Lee & Patricia Mokhtarian, 2008. "Correlations between industrial demands (direct and total) for communications and transportation in the U.S. economy 1947–1997," Transportation, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 1-22, January.
    14. BouMjahed, Lama & Mahmassani, Hani S., 2023. "Virtual leisure activity engagement: The role of childhood technology experience," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    15. Choo, Sangho & Mokhtarian, Patricia L, 2005. "Do Telecommunications Affect Passenger Travel or Vice Versa? Structural Equation Models of Aggregate U.S. Time Series Data Using Composite Indexes," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt2zp5b7zv, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    16. Wu, Guoqiang & Hong, Jinhyun & Thakuriah, Piyushimita, 2019. "Assessing the relationships between young adults’ travel and use of the internet over time," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 8-19.
    17. Harsh Shah & Andre L. Carrel & Huyen T. K. Le, 2024. "Impacts of teleworking and online shopping on travel: a tour-based analysis," Transportation, Springer, vol. 51(1), pages 99-127, February.
    18. Pernot, Delphine, 2021. "Internet shopping for Everyday Consumer Goods: An examination of the purchasing and travel practices of click and pickup outlet customers," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    19. Ralph Hippe & Damien Demailly & Claude Diebolt, 2022. "The Digital Transition for a Sustainable Mobility Regime? A Long-Run Perspective," Working Papers of BETA 2022-19, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    20. Nicholas S. Caros & Jinhua Zhao, 2022. "Preparing urban mobility for the future of work," Papers 2201.01321, arXiv.org.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:transp:v:41:y:2014:i:5:p:1071-1098. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.