The statistics make it fairly clear which gender has safer drivers. Every year, far fewer female drivers pass away. It is clear that men are at greater risk every time they get on the road.
Just knowing that fact is a good start, but the real question is simple: Why does this happen? What is it about male drivers that increases their risks? Is there anything we can do as a society to help save lives?
A few potential reasons for the difference
Each accident has its own causes, and not all men who lose their lives are responsible for causing those accidents. It is unfair to assume so. However, you can look at some general factors that researchers with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) believe may play a role:
- Men tend to be in more severe accidents. Even if men and women crashed the exact same number of times, that means more men would likely pass away.
- Men also tend to put more miles on their cars every year. This was likely even more pronounced in previous generations, when women worked less, but still holds true today.
- Men tend to take more risks. For instance, they’re more likely to drive without a seat belt on or to break the speed limit while driving.
- Men are more likely to drive while impaired by alcohol and other drugs.
As you can see, it’s not that men are inherently worse drivers, but they do see more exposure to risk, and they tend to increase the level of risk through their driving habits. If one of these drivers injures you in a crash, you may deserve compensation.