Why Women are Better Drivers

It is the age-old argument in the battle of the sexes.  Who are the better drivers, men or women?  It is acknowledged that men are more likely to take greater risks and tend to own more powerful cars, so statistically it is inevitable.

New Home Office figures however show that males incur an amazing 97% of dangerous driving convictions and 94% of accidents that result in serious injury or death.  The average male is nine times more likely to be involved in a traffic offence than is a woman.

This could be a slight distortion though as men drive more often, cover greater distances and are more likely to own a larger car.  They therefore have a greater probability of being involved in an accident.  Men are notorious for taking chances, whether in or out of a car but coupled with a more powerful engine and higher speeds the consequences are increased.

Steve Stradling, an expert on transport psychology says “speed feels good, and men tend to be more susceptible to thinking, I’m in a powerful car, the road’s good, lets go.”  This can be put down to a combination of physiological make up, along with culturally accepted and encouraged risk taking.

Stadling’s recent survey of drivers who had been previously caught speeding on camera found that they were twice as likely to be involved in a serious accident. This indicates that driving fast means you are more likely to have a crash.

The figures for female drivers are not brilliant either, when amended to take into account mileage driven then women drivers have just as many accidents as men.  It is just that theirs happen at slower speeds and generally do not lead to serious injuries occurring. The answer seems to be that if something feels good when you are driving, the likelihood is it is dangerous.