This statistic compares the number of licensed drivers to the number of residents in the U.S. from 1991 to 2020. Of the roughly *** million people living in the United States in 2020, some *** millions had a valid driver's license.

In 2021, there were almost 232.8 million licensed drivers in the United States. At around 27 million, California issued the highest number of licenses in the country that year. Not only is California the U.S. state with the highest number of licensed drivers, but it is also the most populous state in the U.S. overall, representing close to 12 percent of the country’s total population.

Young people are most likely to be involved in car accidents
When it comes to accidents, people aged 21 to 24 are most at risk. While there are more female license holders in the U.S., men are more likely to drive at least occasionally. Across all age groups, the male population has substantially higher death rates than the female population.

About licenses in the U.S. The driver’s license became mandatory in the United States in the early 20th century, with Missouri and Massachusetts being the first states to require an official license for operating certain types of motor vehicles. Such vehicles include motorcycles, passenger vehicles, trucks, trailers, or buses. New Jersey became the first state to require all drivers to pass a mandatory test before being granted an official driver’s license.

In 2023, about ***** million U.S. licensed drivers were aged between 20 and 24 years, a slight increase compared to 2013 licensed driver figures. At almost ***** million people, drivers aged between 30 and 34 represented the largest group of licensed drivers.

Annual State-reported licensed driver data from Highway Statistics for the 50 States and DC from Highway Statistics table DL-22.

Around ***** million people held valid driving licenses in the United States in 2023. In most U.S. states, the minimum age to be behind the wheel is 16 years old. There are slightly more female licensees than male drivers. Some states are beginning to issue non-binary gender options on their licenses, and digital IDs are expected to become widely adopted soon. Lack of road safety Lax driving tests and lack of training are sometimes sighted as reasons for the high level of road accidents and fatalities in the United States, compared to other countries. The number of people killed in traffic-related accidents reached a peak in 2021 when almost ****** people died on U.S. roads. In recent years, the United States has witnessed a slight decrease in road traffic fatalities. The vast majority of accidents are recorded in urban areas, but rural accidents are more likely to be fatal. Automation and aggravation More than **** of U.S. drivers say they have been on the receiving end of road-rage. These events may cause traffic accidents or lead to physical assault. It is hoped that vehicle automation will be able to reduce driver error and eliminate road rage. However, self-driving cars are often on the receiving end of violence due to anti-computer animosity from human drivers, and customers report concerns regarding the safety of autonomous cars. However, we can expect to share roads with more self-driving vehicles soon.

In 2023, female motorists accounted for just over half of all licensed drivers in the United States, with around ***** million female licensees compared to ***** million male licensees. The total number of licensed drivers stood at around ***** million. Fewer younger drivers The share of young drivers in the driving population fell significantly between 2010 and 2020. Under 20-year-olds accounted for about *** percent of total license-holders in 2019, down to under *** percent in 2020. The reason for this is being put to the increased number of drivers in other age cohorts, and also the rising costs of car insurance, which is highest for young male drivers. The rise in insurance premiums on young men should not come as a surprise, as young men are more likely than any other demographic to die at the wheel. Non-binary gender options Some federal states issue third gender identities. License-holders can choose between three options: M, F, and X. However, even if more and more states are to accommodate non-binary gender identities, this has yet to become included in national statistics.

About 228,200 Americans had a license to operate a motor vehicle in the United States in 2020. That year, an estimated 36,680 people died on U.S. roads. Traffic-related fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers stood at 17.01 in 2020.

Road safety rankings
The United States has among the highest rates of road fatalities per population worldwide. Possible contributing factors to deaths on the road can include speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and driving while fatigued. Traffic fatalities caused by speeding in the United States have declined since 2008, with less than 10,000 deaths recorded annually over recent years.

Automation for the nation
94 percent of severe automobile crashes are due to human error — but driving safety is taken much more seriously today than in the past, with roughly 90 percent of U.S. drivers wearing their seatbelts while driving in 2020. Over recent years, car manufacturers and developers have striven to reduce car crashes even further with partially and fully automated safety features such as forward collision warnings, lane departure warnings, rearview video systems, and automatic emergency braking. Self-driving vehicles are also set to take to the roads in the future, with car brands such as Toyota, Ford, and GM registering over 350 autonomous driving patents respectively in the United States.

As of February 10, 2025, ** states use an easy-to-understand form and do not require provider certification to change the gender listed on an individual's driver's license. Many of those states also allow residents to mark M, F, or X on the ID. Ten states require proof of surgery, court, order, or amended birth certificate, while **** states do not allow for updating the gender marker at all. These states include Texas, Florida, and Kansas.

In 2023, California had the most automobile registrations: almost 13.2 million such vehicles were registered in the most populous U.S. federal state. California also had the highest number of registered motor vehicles overall: nearly 30.4 million registrations.