Are men or women better drivers? the answer may surprise you
Researchers suggest that promoting gender equality in education, employment, and family roles could contribute to safer roads.
Men are three times more likely than women to violate traffic laws and be involved in accidents. (CREDIT: CC BY-SA 3.0)
Research shows that men are three times more likely than women to violate traffic laws and be involved in accidents. They also tend to create riskier situations on the road and are twice as likely to drive under the influence. Men are nearly one-third more likely to receive a prison sentence for reckless driving than women.
These insights come from Anton Kazun, an Assistant Professor at the Higher School of Economics (HSE), and Mikhail Belov, a Research Assistant.
While society often assumes that women are worse drivers, portraying them as more stressed and less capable of handling emergencies, research suggests otherwise. The stereotype implies that women are more prone to causing accidents, but the facts point in the opposite direction.
Kazun and Belov examined over 160,000 court decisions related to traffic violations between 2010 and 2022 in Russia, finding that men were defendants in over 90% of cases.
When the researchers normalized the data to account for the imbalance in the number of drivers—68% of men compared to only 22% of women—they found that men are 3.25 times more likely to be involved in accidents leading to criminal cases. This statistic highlights the significant difference in driving behaviors between men and women, challenging common assumptions about gender and driving.
One key factor in these differences is attitude. Men tend to drive faster and more aggressively than women. On average, men drive 26% more kilometers daily than women but spend only 10% more time on the road. This discrepancy suggests that men’s driving style is more focused on speed and risk-taking.
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A striking example of this behavior is the higher rate of driving under the influence among men. A quarter of male drivers charged in criminal cases were involved in drunk driving incidents, compared to just 10% of female offenders.
Men are also far more likely to cause accidents resulting in serious injuries or fatalities. Even when adjusting for the gender imbalance among drivers, three-quarters of those charged with severe offenses involving significant public danger are men.
The judicial system tends to reflect these differences in sentencing: in almost two-thirds of cases involving men, imprisonment is the outcome, while women are sentenced to prison in only half of the cases. This pattern raises questions about the role gender plays in driving behavior and the justice system's response to dangerous driving.
The researchers believe these differences can be partly explained by gender socialization and socio-economic factors. Additionally, regional cultural differences play a role. For instance, in major Russian cities like Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Primorye, the gap between men and women involved in accidents is narrower than the national average.
On the other hand, in regions like Dagestan and Chukotka, the gap can be as wide as six to twenty times, with men overwhelmingly responsible for accidents. These regional discrepancies suggest that local customs and societal norms strongly influence driving behavior.
In some southern regions of Russia, driving is still largely considered a male activity, while in larger urban areas, women are more likely to be behind the wheel. This variation points to significant differences in driving styles across the country, shaped by local culture. Policymakers should consider these cultural norms when developing strategies to improve road safety and reduce the number of accidents.
Kazun suggests that promoting gender equality in education, employment, and family roles could contribute to safer roads. “The overall objective is to ensure that men and women have equal opportunities and rights in education, employment, and family life.
At the same time, it can be assumed that having more careful and safer drivers, such as women, on the roads could generally improve driving standards and reduce the number of accidents,” he says. However, he acknowledges that societal change takes time. Additionally, efforts must be made to encourage men to drive more cautiously, bringing their driving behavior in line with the safer patterns generally seen in women’s driving.
The findings underscore the importance of addressing both gender norms and local cultural factors in efforts to improve road safety. While men currently dominate the ranks of dangerous drivers, changing the way society approaches driving habits and road safety could help close the gap, making roads safer for everyone.
Note: Materials provided above by The Brighter Side of News. Content may be edited for style and length.
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