Car Accidents: Men versus Women
It’s an age old joke: women are bad drivers. Or are they? Women don’t seem to think so; a recent MetLife study found that 51 percent of them say that females are safer drivers. Of the men surveyed by MetLife, 39 percent said that male drivers were safer and 35 percent weren’t sure which gender was safer.
The statistics don’t lie! Quality Planning Research found that men are 3.4 times more likely than women to get a ticket for reckless driving and 3.1 times as likely to be caught drunk driving. Women tend to drive less aggressively and follow the rules of the road more closely which leads to fewer accidents. Compounding the issue, men are also more likely to violate laws for speeding and passing and yielding. These types of violations can lead to bigger accidents and more expensive claims than the minor fender benders caused by women.
Higher Death Rates for Men
There is no contest when it comes to death rates between men and women in automobile accidents. In 2009, more than 11,900 male drivers died in U.S. traffic accidents, compared with just under 4,900 female drivers. Men died at a rate of 2.5 deaths per 100 million miles traveled versus 1.7 deaths per 100 million miles traveled for women. Teenage boys are particularly prone to carnage with 9.2 deaths per 100 million miles travelled compared to 5.3 deaths for teenage girls. Men take more risks behind the wheel and are therefore more likely to get into a serious car accident that causes serious injury or death. The numbers become about equal in the 70 plus age range, so age does appear to be a factor in risky behavior behind the wheel.
Women Pay Lower Car Insurance Rates
Insurance companies don’t care about old jokes or stereotypes; they are looking at the bottom line. Men cause more accidents and therefore have more claims so they pay higher premiums. Overall, women pay about 9 percent less for auto insurance than men. In Washington State, women pay 9.6 percent less than men ($596 versus $659 for a six month policy).
Why do Women Pay Lower Car Insurance Rates?
- Women are almost 50 percent less likely than men to have a DUI/DWI on their driving record
- Women are approximately 10 percent less likely to have a moving violation on their record
- Women tend to own vehicles with a lower value which makes them less expensive to insure ($22,815 versus $24,861)
- Women are less likely to request insurance for multiple drivers/vehicles
There is some silver lining for Men: they do appear to have more automotive knowledge than women. For example, men are more familiar with vehicle safety equipment such as electronic stability control, which can help prevent rollover accidents. In truth, men ages 16 to 29 are skewing accident statistics against men of all ages since older men seem to take fewer risks and therefore cause fewer accidents. Sadly, teenage girls seem to be playing catch up. They are beginning to cause more accidents because of distracted driving.
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is two to three times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. today for a FREE consultation!
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