Are Men or Women Better Drivers?

Are men or women better drivers? This issue has caused rows and punch-ups since the first horseless carriage... but now we can resolve it. Are you ready? Men, according to the Department for Transport, are more likely to pass their practical driving tests than women. But that is only part of the story. Men are also more likely to be involved with serious road traffic incidents. Let us consider the facts. The 2011/2012 pass rate for men in Bradford was 39%. This fell to 26% for women. Quite a difference. However, during 2010, twenty-two young men were killed or seriously injured in this area. What a contrast to only four women.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists' Chief Executive, Simon Best, revealed: “As men make up the majority of drivers a slight variation in figures can be expected. However, these figures suggest something is going wrong with the way we teach new drivers to cope with risk on the road. Unless we can crack the gender problem in road safety young men will continue to die in higher numbers. These findings must be used to inform research to find out why pass rates and causes of fatal car accidents vary so much between men and women."

Bradford's figures are part of a trend. In Wolverhampton, for example, men were 12.6% more likely to pass their practical tests in the financial year 2011/12. However, in 2010, thirteen had serious accidents compared to only one woman. It is a similar story in Birmingham. Thirty-eight young men were killed or seriously injured compared to only six young women. Interesting, then, that men were 12.6% more likely to pass their tests. So, which gender is best behind the wheel? The deciding factor is not which is more likely to pass a test, park perfectly, or relate to technical terms. It has to be which is least likely to cause harm. Based on these figures the conclusion is obvious - women are clearly superior.