Okay, we’ve all “heard” the stories and perhaps even seen those women – doing their hair, putting on lipstick, and blatantly unaware of their surroundings while driving. So…being a woman must automatically put you in the guilty seat as a bad driver? We see female celebrities get pulled over repeatedly for DUI’s and driving with suspended licenses like Paris Hilton, Nichole Richie, and Michelle Rodriguez. So all women must be irresponsible behind the wheel right? Nope, it’s a MYTH: Women are worse drivers than men…and here’s why.
According to research done by Social Issues Resource Center, they made a bold and myth-busting discovery. Based on numerous studies on both men and women’s driving habits, without any exceptions, men have a higher rate of crash and burns than women. Okay, the cars aren’t literally burning, but you get the idea.
Why Are women targeted and labeled?
Is it because women (moms) feel like stress-driven chauffeurs with tiny trolls in the backseat, crying about “my line” being crossed as you try to make it on time to soccer practice? Or is it the fact that you know every pothole on your route to the grocery store, winery, and the school? Perhaps you’re finally sitting alone in your car and realize, hey, I actually have lip gloss in my purse.
Whatever the case: the soccer mom extraordinaire who’s always on time despite the kids draggin’, fightin’, and line-crossin’ fits or avoiding another trip to the auto shop for a punctured tire…she’s actually not the bad driver. So ignore the cliché that women are bad drivers because it’s just not accurate.
Who’s the Bad Driver?
According to the above report, men actually have less care for traffic laws and drive faster than their feminine counterparts. Men will take more of the risk driving drunk, faster, disregard stop signs, and in so doing… crash nearly twice as often as women.
Men are the primary suspect for 71 percent of all road fatalities. Unfortunately, they’ve held this deadly trend since 1975 (report date 2002).
Let’s not forget that men also drive MORE than women. Your man is taking the responsibility of being on the road 62 percent of all the miles driven. Ladies, you account for 38 percent of miles driven. However, even though men are driving more, you’d think more risk because of more road time.
Even though they are on the road, what are some men doing? They’re driving their families on road trips. Men are commuting back and forth to work at longer distances than women. Men may be taking care of necessary car maintenance more than women. Just because they are on the road more, doesn’t necessarily mean they are “looking for accidents to cause.”
However, all things considered, miles plus driving hours, men, unfortunately, are still proportionally the main source of deadly car accidents.
Don’t go threatening to take the keys…just yet.
Despite mens’ bad rap-sheet with driving… fatal car accidents have been decreasing (for women too).
Ladies, this doesn’t give you pass to be distracted behind the wheel puckering up those full lips of yours with a hint of gloss and color. Everyone should be a defensive and offensive driver whenever you are behind the wheel. Because whether it’s you, your man, or a complete stranger, someone will run a red light, speed, drive drunk, or apply mascara. Watch out for those drivers…men and women alike.
Photo Credits: AndiL.