It’s been an age-old debate and neither men nor women would easily admit that the opposite sex is the better driver. Men will always take pride in themselves as being better at parking and reading maps and women will always argue that they are the safer drivers. BUT… how someone perceives their driving skills doesn’t necessarily equate to how well he or she actually drives.
Driving used to have a masculine connotation because people usually associate driving with men. We usually stereotyped women as people who should not get behind the wheels because it is a man’s job. Today it’s a totally different scenario as more women drive than ever before, thereby making a compelling argument with regards to their driving skills when compared to men.
Men and women exhibit different driving behaviours which reflect their attitudes towards public safety and risk to society. Many factors influence these differences asides from the known biological and social perceptions. Each plays a part in explaining why men and women drivers have very different records in relation to safety and efficiency in driving.
So how do they compare regards to road safety and efficient driving? Through examining, comparing and contrasting the habits and statistics that surround both genders, this article makes for an impartial and unbiased investigation.
How do Women drivers fare?
Road statistics generally favour women in terms of safety while driving. They have fewer accidents and when they do have a prang, it tends to be at lower speeds and therefore it causes less damage. Most women are less likely to drive at night than men – a time when the risk of serious accidents increases, they experience less distractions and fewer drive under intoxication; inherent traits that could label them them safer and more conscientious drivers.
On the downside, female car crashes are on the rise as more women take to the road with less spatial analysis, poorer judgement calls, car maintenance culture and lacking experience with challenging situations while driving. Road safety reports that women continue to be the primary offender in the fender-bender field.
How do Men drivers compare?
There is extensive evidence to show that men, and young men in particular, tend to be more aggressive than women (in all known cultures) and they express aggression in a direct, rather than indirect manner, taking more risks and displaying less cautious behavior than women, such as driving at higher speed and closer to other cars, not wearing seat belts, and driving while intoxicated more often. This has a very significant impact on driving – encouraging more competitive and hostile behaviour with consequent higher probabilities of crashing.
On the upside, men spend averagely more time driving than women and funnily enough they spend a higher percentage of that time driving others (including women). And with men being in the car more often, they gather more experience driving at riskier times and in dealing with challenging conditions.
Does gender really matter at the end?
Despite the comparison and social opinions on this subject matter, it’s difficult to determine which of them are innately better drivers or if perception and stereotype are determinants of performance behind the wheel for either sex. Safe driving is not about the person, age or gender. Safe driving is about obeying traffic rules, staying alert and caring for others, be it drivers or pedestrians. Caution should be balanced with confidence to ensure safety on the roads. Buying insurance is also part of being a socially responsible driver.
Which gender do you think is better behind the wheel and why?
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