If I had a dollar (or let’s say R10) for every time I heard a man say ‘women are the worst drivers’, I’d probably be driving a more expensive car myself. This myth about women being the worst drivers is obviously not true, yet it’s still a daily phrase supported by the most archaic notion of women – even if this is a petty joke mumbled by a man. And, if you haven’t heard it in a while, these internet memes might refresh your memory:
WOW did some digging into this stereotype to deconstruct the myth of women being ‘bad drivers’, and this is what we found:
Men are involved in a lot more car accidents than women. According to a traffic study, 80% of all car accidents that kill or seriously injure pedestrians involve male drivers. According to a study by Quality Planning, an insurance statistics company, female drivers were also 27% less likely to be found at fault when involved in an accident. These statistics tend to hold true no matter where you look.
Men get more traffic violations than women. In pretty much every category of traffic violations there are, men seem to dominate women (and that is never a good thing). Men are more likely than women to get cited for reckless driving (3.41 to 1 ratio), driving under the influence (3.09 to 1 ratio), seat belt violations (3.08 to 1 ratio), speeding (1.75 to 1 ratio), failure to yield (1.54 to 1 ratio), and stop signal violations (1.53 to 1 ratio).
Men also tend to drink and drive more than women. According to a study done by Auto Express, more than 80% of people who get caught for drinking and driving are men. This is the perfect explanation for why there is such an insurance company as First for Women.
The statistics are pretty clear and straight forward -“ women are indeed ‘statistically’ safer drivers than men. But why is this? Experts say that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. They are more likely to take risks, and therefore, more likely to make mistakes. Many believe this is because of higher testosterone levels. This higher likelihood to take risks, fueled by testosterone, also might be the reason why men are statistically more likely to drive under the influence, not wear a seat-belt, and speed. Even in an interview with the mayor of safety and security, JP Smith, he stated that, ”The public’s biggest misconceptions about road safety is very stereotypical. I would say the stereotype of women being dangerous drivers because of their lack of driving ability is one of the biggest misconceptions, as in actuality statistics show that the most dangerous persons on the roads are young men.”
So, there we have it, we as women no longer have to feel tarnished by men’s accusations of bad driving. As for the stereotype? Unfortunately, men are also bad at admitting their mistakes and swallowing their pride 😉
