Car use in the leisure lives of adolescents. Does household structure matter?

• The influence of household structure on adolescents׳ travel mode on leisure trips is examined by means of Norwegian Travel Survey data.
• Adolescents from two-parent households have more and longer leisure trips than adolescents from single-parent households.
• Adolescents from two-parent households more often travel by car than adolescents from single-parent households.
• A binary logistic regression analysis of adolescents׳ travel mode on leisure trips is performed.
• Both the number of parents in the household and their employment status is of relevance to adolescents׳ travel mode.

Travel is becoming an increasingly essential part of adolescents׳ leisure. As a large part of organized leisure activities takes place beyond the local neighborhood, access to transport becomes a prerequisite for participation. This article investigates transport mode choices in the leisure lives of Norwegian adolescents and the potential influence of household structures. The study finds that car use is less prominent in the leisure activities of adolescents from single-parent households, and that living in households with unemployed parents reduces the probability of leisure travels by car.