The bar charts compare the percentages of men and women in different age groups who held full driving licences in Great Britain in 1975/76 and 2006.
Overall, the proportion of licence holders increased across all age groups over the period. In both years, the highest percentages were generally seen among people aged between 30 and 49.
Among adults in their productive years (21-49), licence ownership was already relatively high in 1975/76 and rose further by 2006. For men, the figures ranged from around 70% to nearly 90%, with the highest proportion recorded among those aged 30-39. Women showed a more noticeable increase, climbing from approximately 50-60% in 1975/76 to around 65-80% in 2006. As a result, the gender gap became substantially smaller in these age groups.
A different pattern can be observed among the youngest and older age groups. People aged 17-20 had the lowest percentages in both years, although the figures still increased moderately, from about 30% to 40% for men and from around 20% to 30% for women. In contrast, licence ownership among those aged 50 and above experienced significant growth, particularly among women. For example, the proportion of female licence holders aged 60-69 and 70 or over roughly doubled by 2006. While older men also recorded increases, their growth was less dramatic, remaining below the levels observed among middle-aged adults.