Collision statistics can give people important insight into things they should know about traffic safety. For example, people understand that certain activities, like drunk or distracted driving, have a strong association with increased collision risk. They also recognize that safety reports can help them select vehicles that are better for them and their families.
When looking at long-term federal crash data, one of the most interesting trends has to do with the sex of the driver. Despite the popularization of the idea that women are inherently bad drivers, crash statistics indicate that the opposite is likely true. Male drivers are twice as likely as female drivers are to die in motor vehicle collisions.
What does this trend indicate?
Men do not drive twice as much as women do, although they do dominate the professional driving sector. When looking at collisions involving passenger vehicles, men and women have roughly proportional representation on the road.
However, men tend to be more aggressive and more prone to taking risks on the road. They speed excessively or succumb to road rage. That conduct increases their likelihood of dying in a crash. Male drivers tend to cause more serious collisions. Data shows that factors including impairment and the failure to use safety restraints contribute to the rates of male drivers dying.
Data also shows that when adjusted for speed, female drivers are actually more vulnerable. In other words, during crashes that occur in roughly the same conditions, female drivers have a greater chance of dying than male drivers do. The types of vehicles people choose play a role in that, as does vehicle design.
The restraint systems integrated into vehicles undergo testing that uses crash test dummies. The design of those dummies is based on the average adult male. Factors including heavier weights, taller bodies and a different center of gravity all influence the likelihood of restraints functioning as they should in the event of a crash. Female drivers die at higher rates in crashes because they choose smaller vehicles and because vehicle manufacturers do not make vehicles with the female body in mind.
Statistics can be useful for those trying to make sense of a tragedy or make informed decisions when purchasing a vehicle. They can also help people determine who may have a degree of liability after a crash occurs. Holding other drivers or even vehicle manufacturers accountable is often an option for those involved in car crashes that result in catastrophic injuries or fatalities.