Are women bad drivers? Stereotypically, most men would say yes. Fred Astaire, the great dancer of the 1940s was often credited as being a better dancer than his partner, Ginger Rogers. Of course, people forget that Ginger did everything Fred did only backwards, and in high heels to boot. What do the statistics say? Does it really have to do with different hormones or are women really bad drivers?
What Do the Statistics Say?
MSN Auto offers a study prepared by Quality Planning, an insurance policyholder statistical gathering firm. Not surprisingly women came out on top as better and safer drivers than their male counterparts. They offered this chart in their findings:
| Type of Violation | Ratio: Male to Female |
| Reckless Driving | 3.41 |
| DUI | 3.09 |
| Seatbelt Violations | 3.08 |
| Speeding | 1.75 |
| Failure to Yield | 1.54 |
| Stop Sign/Signal Violation | 1.53 |
The Quality Planning study revealed that men scored fifty percent higher than women in driving violations. ABC News, in a report by John Stossel said seventy-one percent of all accidents are caused by men. That same report also pointed out that men drove more miles than women, sixty-two percent compared to thirty-eight percent. However, even with the miles driven factored in, men still caused more accidents.
Right behind men are people who talk on their cell phones or text while driving. This habit is not gender-based but equally dangerous. Teenage drivers often break driving laws whether they're male or female; perhaps due to peer pressure. In the end, women seem to follow the rules.
Are Women Bad Drivers?
According to insurance statistics, men are the bad drivers. There are the skeptics who point out that a man and a woman have different hormones, hence making the man a better driver. A male driver is thought to have better reaction time because his brain works differently. But what these skeptics forget is that men drive faster, are more likely to break driving laws, and are more aggressive on the highway.
Women and driving jokes will most likely never leave us. More one-liner jokes will be created and more bumper stickers produced. Women, on the other hand will endure the jokes and myths because in their heart of hearts, they really know who is the better driver. Are women bad drivers? If you're a woman, the next time you're on the highway following a crazy driver, it's probably a man so keep your distance>!
