Male & Female Drivers

[IzzyR]

More Ammunition for the Gender Driving Debate

A study of half a million claims at Admiral Insurance found that women were almost twice as likely as men to have a collision in a car park, 23 percent more likely to hit a stationary car, and 15 percent more likely to reverse into another vehicle.

the study also found that men have more serious accidents, made more costly insurance claims, and kill more pedestrians.

Men were also responsible for 98 percent of convictions for dangerous driving.

This study has a couple of dueling theories to explain the data - either they reflect different skill sets, or different driving patterns.

My own personal experience has been that on the whole women and men are indistinguishable as drivers, with two exceptions.

1. Most of the really overcautious drivers are women (or old men). Every time (or almost every time) I get stuck at an intersection behind someone who can’t turn into traffic unless there are no cars within 1,000 feet, it is either a woman or old man.

2. A disproportionate percentage of the really bad drivers are women. This is highly subjective, of course, but I remain convinced that it is true. I also know several women who will not drive on highways, or will not drive at night etc. but no men of that type.

But of course, I could be wrong.

[astro]

I think you’d be surprised how aggressive many female drivers are behind the wheel.

[Huerta88]

Men (young men) are pretty much going to have a monopoly on drag racing, and probably a pretty substantial lead in DUI as well. Hence the less frequent, but more deadly, accidents for men.

[astro]

Differences Between Male and Female Involvement in Motor Vehicle Collisions in Hawaii, 1986-1993

Table 1, Characteristics of Drivers Involved in Two Vehicle Collisions in Hawaii, 1986-93, contains a summary of the key differences between males and females and their pattern of collision involvement. In terms of percentage distributions, a higher proportion of females involved in collisions are: 1) more likely to use their seat belts; 2) have no human factors (e.g., inattention, misjudgment, etc.) involved in collision; 3) have no other factors (e.g., speeding, etc.); 4) more likely to drive automobiles than vans or pickup trucks, 5) more likely to have vehicle maneuvers prior to a collision; 6) less likely to be in the serious collision types (head-ons); 7) slightly more likely to be involved in urban collisions; 8) more likely to be involved in intersection collisions, and more likely to be involved in daytime collisions than their male counterparts. Moreover, while a higher proportion of males involved in collisions (0.1%) are killed compared to females (.07%); females are more likely to be reported injured, at levels of injury from possible, to non-incapacitating, to incapacitating levels. It is interesting to note that there is almost double rate of “possible” injuries among females compared to males.

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The results suggest that strongest gender effects include the following, that compared to females involved in collisions, males are:
• 3.56 times more likely to be involved in alcohol or drug related crashes;
• 2.08 times more likely to be involved in speed related collisions;
• 1.44 times more likely to be unbelted;
• 1.34 times more likely to be involved in head-on collisions;
• 1.5 times more likely to be involved in night collisions;
• 2.14 times more likely to be driving pickup trucks, and
• 1.27 times more likely to be killed.

These results also show that females are slightly more likely than males to be involved in collisions which involve “failure to yield,” as well as being more likely to be involved in collisions which involve left turns, being stopped in traffic, or slowing or stopping. Females are also more likely than males to be involved in collisions in urban areas and at intersections.

[butter_pie]

I like to think I’m a good driver, but then, when you drive something akin to a go-cart in a sea of SUVs, you have to be. I am guilty of running over the occasional grass or backing (gently!) into the mailbox, though.