The first bar chart illustrates the proportions of men and women who had driving licenses between 1976 and 2006, while the accompanying chart gives information about the share of young drivers in the 17-20 age category in 1996 and 2006.
In general, the share of both males and females having driving licenses followed an upward trajectory throughout the given period, although males consistently recorded relatively higher figures than their counterparts. Additionally, the growth in the percentage of females who had licenses was more pronounced, narrowing down the proportional gap towards the end of the 30-year time span. As for the proportion of young drivers, it decreased significantly across both genders, with females registering a more substantial decline.
Regarding the first chart, males who had driving licenses stood at almost 70% in the initial year and remained almost stable by 1986, far exceeding the numbers recorded for females. From 1986 onwards, this percentage increased negligibly to just below 80% by 2001 and continued its growth, peaking at 80% by the final year. By contrast, females started at a much lower base, at approximately 30%, before growing slightly to almost 35% by 1981. Despite this lower figure, the share rose consistently, finishing the period at 60%, lagging behind their counterparts.
Turning to the second chart, male drivers in the 17-20 age bracket accounted for 50% in 1996, which was significantly higher than the figure for females (30%). However, both proportions fell to 45% and 20%, respectively by 2006.