Are men Better Drivers than Women?
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Men naturally think they are better than women at almost everything, from sports to fishing. This way of thinking, of course, includes driving. This debate has raged since the first car was produced, and both sexes hit the road. The question is, are men better drivers than women in 2021?
According to data released by the National Highway Safety Administration or NHTSA, men get into more car accidents than women. This means insurers charge the overall volume of incidents to men. Wait a bit, though, before concluding what sex is better at driving because this data can be a bit misleading.
Men drive much more than women and thus are exposed to more potential collisions. The comprehensive study by the NHTSA found males drive around 40% more each year than women. This means they are on the road more often and more likely to get into a collision. An interesting fact about this study is there are way more licensed females on the street, about 1 million more than men.
How often have you looked and seen a couple in a car with the man sitting in the passenger seat? Not very often, correct? Men usually take control of the wheel on family outings, dates, etc., and thus are the culprits to blame when incidents occur.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, men drive about 16,500 miles annually, and women, much less, around 10,140. This data correlates with just over 6.1 million accidents caused by men annually and 4.4 million accidents responsible by women. When you look at the stat of accidents per mile driven, the info shows men are less likely to get involved in an incident, but only by a small margin.
Lawmakers have stepped up their enforcement efforts in recent years and have passed legislation lowering the legal blood alcohol limits to .08 in many states. This has successfully reduced crashes, but young male motorists’ deaths are still way too high. This age group gives the older, more responsible drivers a bad name.
One awful thing male drivers do more than their female counterparts is intoxicated driving. Driving while intoxicated kills many men, especially younger drivers under 25 years of age.
DUIs have dropped by a third in the past few years, but it is still a huge problem nationwide. On average, about 10,000 motorists die each year due to vehicular deaths related to intoxication, most of which are male. This selfish behavior can kill the motorist who is drunk and often kills innocent people.
A person’s claim history is a significant factor in determining his insurance rates and sheds some evidence on your driving ability. One of the most recent studies conducted by confused.com in 2019 shows that men filed about 70% of insurance claims. So what does claim history tell us about the eternal battle of the sexes, which is better at driving?
The study showed that men are likelier to drive faster and thus get into more accidents. As the saying goes, speed kills. While the debate rages on which sex is the better driver, there is no debate about which sex is safer behind the wheel. Men are almost 90% more likely to get into a high-speed crash than women. The stats don’t lie. Women don’t take extreme risks in-vehicle driving, like going 100 MPH down the freeway.
When you thought the verdict was in and women are better drivers, stats also point out that women get into more low-speed, lower-impact crashes. This includes backing into another vehicle at the mall or hitting a sign when turning a corner. Women also get into more accidents in confined areas, like parking garages, Wal-Mart parking lots, etc. Many of these small accidents that do minor damage are not reported, so that keeps the debate going strong.
So who gets the majority of tickets, women or men? One study in England showed almost 80% of moving violations were committed by men. That is a rate that is about 400% higher than female drivers.
If men started driving safely and took fewer risks, the accidents would fall dramatically, and thousands of lives would be saved. So while it’s tough to argue women are better motorists, it’s safe to say they are more careful behind the wheel and more often obey traffic laws.
Despite the evidence that both sexes get into about the same amount of vehicle incidents, the perception is still that men are better drivers. It seems true that men can do things like parallel park better and drive in icy or extreme weather with more excellent skill, but women are safer on the road and don’t drive as aggressively. They also don’t get into nearly as many DUI crashes.
So, are men better drivers than women? The question may never get solved with the future of transportation moving to driverless cars. The debate will undoubtedly rage on forever, however. If you need cheap car coverage, then check out Good to Go Insurance. The quote is free, and you will be given up to 10 price rates to compare. Get started now and lower your premiums.
Despite the evidence that both sexes get into about the same number of vehicle incidents, the perception is still worldwide that men are better drivers. It seems true that men can do things better, like parallel parking and driving in icy or extreme weather, with more excellent skill. However, women are safer and don’t drive as aggressively. They also don’t get into nearly as many DUI crashes.
So, are men better drivers than women? The question may never get solved with the future of transportation moving to driverless cars. The debate will undoubtedly rage on forever. If you need cheap car coverage, then check out Good to Go Insurance. The quote is free, and you will be given up to 10 price rates to compare. Get started now by entering your zip code and lowering your premiums.