The United States now has 246 million registered motor vehicles and 209 million licensed drivers–nearly 5 vehicles for every 4 drivers. (from alternet.org)
How are there more cars than drivers? I don’t know anyone who owns two cars. I know of families of two that own two cars. But I don’t know anyone that owns more cars than drivers.
More cars than drivers … that makes my brain hurt. Even if a family of 6 where all 6 drive and all 6 have their own cars that is still just 1 car per driver. Even if a car collector owns dozens of cars that s/he and s/he alone drives, that can’t possible move the number up to 5 vehicles for every 4 drivers in the U.S.
It does say “Motor Vehicles.” So, that includes scooters, motorcycles, recreational vehicles. I once owned a car and a motorcycle. My parents own three vehicles for two drivers; long story short: my dad doesn’t want to to sell his ’92 Ford Bronco. So, I think these two cases really point to it: 1. cars last longer and people just wanting to keep them, and 2. people owning a recreational vehicle such as a motorcycle or an RV. But all that said… wow! that’s a surprising statistic. I would have never thought (especially since I haven’t owned a vehicle since my first months in Chicago).
Work vehicles? I imagine a fair number of people (such as truck drivers) own a personal vehicle and then also have another registered vehicle they use for work.
My dad has always had a lot of cars. Ha. He drives an Olds Aurora, my Mom drives a Buick Lucerne, he has a Chevy S-10 for his gardening and heavy moving, then a Corvette for sunday fun driving. The nice thing, is if my car breaks down, there’s always a car for me to drive frommy parents, so thats very nice. Or when i need to move, i can borrow their truck.
oh wow astro, your dad has cars like i have hot wheels cars
I think Jay Leno is to blame…