The purpose of car use differs between men and women. Social activities, shopping and work were the most common purposes of car use for all ages. However, other reasons people undertake journeys vary according to their age. The purpose of a journey also affects the time spent on it. The longest time spent was for active leisure.
Time spent on travel is also related to distance travelled.
For example, people are likely to live relatively close to shops, education and child care facilities, but further from work. Therefore, journeys to work take longer than journeys for these purposes. This fall is partly a reflection of the increase in the average number of cars per household over that period. The higher average distance travelled in the Australian Capital Territory may be related to the population's greater reliance on private motor vehicle transport compared to other places in Australia, including greater use of cars for travel to other cities. The average annual distance travelled by cars varies considerably between countries.