One year after women were first allowed to get licenses, lack of driving knowledge is the biggest reason stopping Saudi women from getting behind the wheel, new YouGov research reveals.
According to media reports, around 70,000 licenses have been issued to women in Saudi Arabia, with several driving schools opening since the ban was lifted. On the first year anniversary of this milestone, YouGov asked Saudi women who have not applied for a license what the biggest barriers are to them in doing so.
Not knowing how to drive is the biggest. A higher proportion of women now state this as a factor (35%) compared to last year, when we first interviewed them (when it was 24%). A fear of car accidents is the another common barrier (23% this year compared to 27% last year) as is low confidence among women in their driving skills (21% now compared to 20% in June 2018).
There has been a notable fall in the proportion of women saying that their husbands’ or family members’ objection is stopping them from driving (from 23% in 2018 to 16% now).
While the number of women saying they don’t need to drive because they have drivers is almost the same, those saying the same due to fear of harassment by male drivers (from 10% to 6%) and due to the fear of being judged by the society (4% to 1%) has declined over the past year.
It is interesting to note that the barriers differ across the age groups. While the major barriers for those under thirty (18- 29 years) are not knowing how to drive (42%) and objections from their family (22%), those aged over thirty have different reasons for not driving. Their main one is a fear of car accidents (35%) followed by low confidence in their driving (30%).
Data collected online by YouGov Omnibus among 400 female respondents in Saudi Arabia in August 2018 and June 2019 using YouGov’s panel of over 6 million people worldwide. Data is representative of the adult online population in the country.
© Press Release 2019Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.
The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.
