These days, we’re all about the convenience. Whether that’s ordering our favourite lunchtime treat to our door via Deliveroo or using an app to book our dry cleaning. Yep, it’s fair to say we’ve got pretty used to the good life, the one where that relieves us of life admin and having to dash out for our favourite falafel wrap. One statistic that might be surprising to you though, is the amount of millennials that are turning their backs on driving in favour of Uber. Did you know there’s been a 12.5% decrease in the amount of millennials holding a license? And here’s why…
We all love Uber, how would we get about the city without it? In just a few taps on your phone you’ve got yourself a ride, and it’s that convenience and ease of use that’s so appealing to the millennial masses. In fact a survey taken out by Cars on Demand found that only 11% of millennials deem owning a car as useful to them and 41% claim to dislike driving altogether!
So what has caused this shift in priorities and general dislike for driving? It could be argued that the tough economy has a lot to do with it. After all, learning to drive is expensive, as is buying, insuring, taxing and MOTing a car. It’s extra financial stress and extra pressure! Buying a car is a long-term commitment and the upkeep can be extremely costly, especially if something were to go wrong.
Status also contributes to this shift in attitude, 24% of respondents actually deemed ‘making it’ on social media a larger status symbol than owning a car. In fact, owning a car was ranked second from bottom in terms of status, with most of the millennials ticking owning a house as more of a status priority.
Another interesting point taken from the survey is the increase in environmental awareness. When asked the kind of car they aspire to own, 16% of respondents stated electric, proving that the millennial generation care for the planet and generally have higher morals in terms of their own consumption which can only be a good thing!
And of course, how are we supposed to Snapchat if we’re driving?
We’re joking, well, kind of.
So what are the options? Of course Uber is a pretty safe bet, but if you’re not living in the city and don’t want to weigh yourself down with the long-term commitment of owning a car, why not consider a short term lease? If you’re not sure you want to fully commit to the financial stress of a car then it’s a great option to test the water or to use for the short-term.
