Urban-Rural and Poverty-Related Differences in Young Driver Licensing Pathways in Ohio

It remains unclear whether driver licensing pathways between young drivers in urban and rural areas differ when considering differences in financial status. Using a database of young new drivers in Ohio, we found that young rural drivers obtained their first licenses earlier and showed only small differences in licensing age and GDL-training completion across poverty levels, whereas low-poverty young urban drivers were licensed much earlier and completed GDL training at higher rates than their high-poverty counterparts. Our findings inform strategies to reduce disparity in access to licensure and reduce the urban/rural mobility gap for young drivers.