Behind the wheel ... Prospect's Brent Jago, 27, passed his P1 driving test last month. He said "it's something that I should have done 10 years ago".
LEARNER drivers interstate are waiting longer to get their licences but Tasmanian teens are still steadily progressing to their P plates.
But some Tasmanian drivers, like Prospect's Brent Jago, are not ashamed to admit that they left it late to get on the road.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported last week that among 20- to 24-year-olds, the proportion of licensed drivers in the city had slumped from 79 per cent in 1991-92 to 51 per cent in 2008-09.
The New York Times also reported recently that the proportion of Americans under the age of 25 with a licence had fallen markedly since the late 1990s.
However, a Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources spokeswoman said that the national and international figures appeared at odds with Tasmania.
The average Tasmanian is 19 years and five months old when they are first licensed to drive alone - a figure the department said had not changed in five years.
Over the same period, an average 67 per cent of all provisional licences issued in Tasmania were people aged 17 or 18.
Brent Jago, 27, passed his P1 test six weeks ago - more than 10 years after he failed his first learner knowledge test.
Mr Jago cited a lack of motivation and maturity as the reason he had not re-sat the test, but he said there were a number of other reasons why young people weren't driving, including living at home longer and not having the money to buy and maintain a car.
"I think a lot of younger people have still got mum or dad to drive them around because they live at home," Mr Jago said.
After 10 years of using public transport and walking to work, Mr Jago said that he realised he could not continue to rely on family, friends and workmates to fill the gaps.
"About two years ago I realised that not driving was an issue, and that I needed to bite the bullet," he said.
"It was just not practical to be without a car."
Mr Jago bought a 1993 Corolla to practice and progressed through the L1 and L2 tests.
Last month he passed his P1 practical driving exam.
"It's something that I should have done 10 years ago," he said.
