Taking the Wheel or Quitting Driving. Social Inequalities in Driving a Car

International audienceBy using the French national transportation survey led in 2007‐2008, this paper addresses the question of the determinants of automobility and highlights a strong driver that has been neglected: the role of socialization and familial resources. Two questions will successively be addressed: Who does hold a driving licence but does not drive ? Which resources transform the driving licence from a formal right to an actual practice ? The analysis shows that young socialization to driving is a strong determinant of taking the wheel. Thus, more than a specific capital that would be independent from other forms of capitals, automobility would seem to be driven by economic and cultural capitals owned by individuals.À partir de l’exploitation statistique des données de l