U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Office

Fact #574: June 8, 2009
Vehicles per Licensed Driver Rising

The number of vehicles in operation per licensed driver has risen steadily since 1950. In 1985, for the first time, there was one vehicle for every licensed driver. Since 1985, the number of vehicles in operation has exceeded the number of licensed drivers reaching a level of 1.21 vehicles per licensed driver in 2007.

Vehicles per Licensed Driver, 1950-2007
Line graph showing the number of vehicles in operation per licensed driver from 1950 to 2007. The number has risen steadily since 1950. For more detailed information, see the table below.

Supporting Information

Vehicles per Licensed Driver, 1950-2007
Year Vehicles per Licensed Driver
1950 0.70
1951 0.72
1952 0.72
1953 0.73
1954 0.74
1955 0.76
1956 0.76
1957 0.77
1958 0.77
1959 0.78
1960 0.78
1961 0.79
1962 0.80
1963 0.81
1964 0.82
1965 0.83
1966 0.85
1967 0.85
1968 0.86
1969 0.88
1970 0.88
1971 0.89
1972 0.90
1973 0.92
1974 0.92
1975 0.92
1976 0.93
1977 0.93
1978 0.95
1979 0.96
1980 0.96
1981 0.96
1982 0.96
1983 0.95
1984 0.98
1985 1.00
1986 1.02
1987 1.03
1988 1.05
1989 1.06
1990 1.07
1991 1.07
1992 1.05
1993 1.08
1994 1.08
1995 1.10
1996 1.10
1997 1.10
1998 1.11
1999 1.12
2000 1.12
2001 1.13
2002 1.14
2003 1.15
2004 1.16
2005 1.19
2006 1.20
2007 1.21

Source: Licensed drivers – U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2007, Table DL-1C.
Number of vehicles – R.L. Polk and Company.

 

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