Band 9: A bar chart shows the percentage of men and women in Great Britain who had driving licenses and another bar chart shows the percentage of men and women who were young drivers at the age of 17-20. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The bar charts provide information on the percentage of males and females who held driving licenses in a European country from 1976 to 2006 and compare the proportion of young drivers aged 17–20 with driving licenses in 1996 and 2006.

Overall, men consistently outnumbered women in holding driving licenses throughout the 30-year period, though the gap between genders diminished over time. Notably, the percentage of young drivers, irrespective of gender, declined by the end of the observed years.

In 1976, 70% of men held driving licenses, compared to only 30% of women—a substantial gap of 40 percentage points. However, while the proportion of male drivers increased gradually, reaching 80% by 2006, the percentage of female drivers saw a more steady and pronounced rise, doubling to 60% over the same period. This steady increase among women significantly narrowed the disparity to 20 percentage points by the end of the period.

Regarding young drivers aged 17–20, the percentage of male license holders decreased from 50% in 1996 to 45% in 2006. The percentage of young female drivers fell even more sharply, from 40% to 30% over the same period. These declines reflect a downward trend in driving license acquisition among younger individuals.