Seven in 10, or 70%, of Queenslanders support the transition to digital driver licences, according to the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland's (RACQ) research.
Among the Queenslanders keen to transition to digital licences, people aged under 50 were most supportive of having a licence on their phone, according to RACQ.
“Around 80% of this age group said they would use a digital licence if they had the option. That's compared with 63% of people aged 50 to 64 and just 47% of those aged 65 to 74,” said RACQ head of public policy Dr Michael Kane.
The respondents said they want to have digital licences due to ease of use, convenience, and having fewer cards to carry. However, some noted privacy concerns around security and hacking.
“RACQ has been assured by the State Government that it has addressed the risk of having your identity stolen online,” Dr Kane said.
Some of those who were opposed to the digital change also cited always having to carry a phone, finding a hard copy preferential and tech illiteracy as their other big concerns.
“When promoting the digital licences, RACQ encourages the Queensland government to focus on explaining how privacy is protected and enhanced,” Dr Kane said. “Support and education for those who struggle with technology would also be money well spent.”
RACQ released the results after the Queensland government expanded its digital license trial to all postcodes in Townsville and the broader Fraser Coast. The digital license app stores people's identification such as driver's license, photo identification card or adult proof-of-age card, and recreational marine license on mobile devices.
RACQ also recently teamed up with the Queensland government to establish fast charging sites for electric vehicles (EVs) across the state as many residents switch to EVs.
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