Trips per person per year: by trip purpose, 2006, Great Britain
Men and women in Great Britain made an average of 1,014 and 1,060 trips respectively in 2006, defined as a one-way course of travel with a single main purpose. Men travel considerably further than women each year in Great Britain, averaging 8,000 miles in 2006 compared with 6,300 miles. Commuting and business travel was the most common type of trip made by men at 230 trips in 2006. For women it was shopping at 243 trips in the year.
Men made on average 43 per cent more business and commuting trips than women in 2006. Women made 26 per cent more shopping trips than men during the year and 33 per cent more escort trips, such as taking a child to school. This reflects, in part, differences in working and childcare patterns between the sexes.
The car is the main mode of transport for both men and women. In 2006, 65 per cent of trips made by men were by car, compared to 62 per cent made by women. Women were more likely than men to travel as passengers in a car, with 26 per cent of trips being made as a car passenger in 2006 compared with 17 per cent among men. Women are also more likely than men to live in households with no access to a car, 22 per cent in 2006 compared with 16 per cent.
There has been a large increase in the number of women aged 60 to 69 holding a full driving licence. In 1975/76, 15 per cent of women held a licence in this age group, while in 2006 this figure had risen to 63 per cent. The corresponding proportions for men of this age were 58 per cent and 90 per cent respectively.
Men are also more likely to be the main driver of a car than women. In 1975/76, 51 per cent of men were the main driver, compared with 13 per cent of women. In 2006 these figures increased to 63 per cent and 47 per cent respectively. However, women are taking more responsibility for driving. In 1975/76 nearly seven in ten (69 per cent) of men held a licence compared with three in ten (29 per cent) women. In 2006 this rose to 81 per cent of men holding a full driving licence compared to 63 per cent of women.
Overall, the proportion of men and women aged 17 to 20 holding a licence has increased over the period from 28 per cent to 34 per cent. However, the number of licence holders aged 17 to 20 has decreased since the early 1990s from 54 per cent to 37 per cent for men and from 42 per cent to 31 per cent for women.
Men’s greater use of cars may be the main reason why they are more likely than women to be killed or seriously injured in a road traffic accident. In 2006 a total of 6,300 male car drivers were killed or seriously injured compared to 3,000 female car drivers. This compares to an average across the four years 1994–98 of 9,500 men and 5,100 women. However, men were more likely than women to be killed or seriously injured for all modes of transport, including as pedestrians.
Although higher numbers of male pedestrians than female were killed or injured, women were much more likely to walk than men. Overall, women made 26 per cent of their trips on foot in 2006 compared with 22 per cent for men. Women were also more likely to make a trip by bus or coach, 7 per cent compared to 5 per cent for men.
A total of 69.5 million trips were made overseas by UK residents in 2006. The number of trips made for leisure purposes for men and women were very similar – 29 million and 28 million respectively. However, men made 74 per cent more business trips abroad than women, 7.1 million compared to 1.8 million.
Source: National Travel Survey, Department for Transport; Road Casualties Great Britain 2006, Department for Transport; International Passenger Survey, Office for National Statistics
Notes: A trip is defined as a one way course of travel having a single main purpose. Examples include commuting from home to a usual place of work, trips to or from shops and business trips (which are personal trips in the course of work, including a trip in the course of work back to work). The purpose of a trip is usually taken to be the activity at the destination, unless that destination is 'home' in which case the purpose is defined by the origin of the trip.
Trips per person by those ages 16 and over. Weighted data.
Main driver: The main driver of a household car is the household member which drives the furthest in that car in the course of a year.
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