Women are shown to be worse drivers than men in certain studies carried out, and better in others. To decide who the better driver is, first you have to define, "better". For example as a Contract Hire Company we consider women to be better drivers because they cause us less problems; in our experience they write off fewer cars and we have less administration because they incur fewer speeding fines.
In a study that was carried out at Queen Mary University in London, psychologists said that women and interestingly gay men were very poor, when it came to a sense of direction in an environment that was unfamiliar to them. They said that men had much better navigational skills. This may account for what men refer to as "dithering" by women drivers. Being lost and confused may not be the ideal ingredients for safe driving.
In research carried out by Frank Mc Kenna of Reading University, he stated that the only area men proved to better than women was in terms of manoeuvring and parking a vehicle, as he quite rightly pointed out "few people die parking". There seems to be little doubt that women have significantly more minor accidents than men. There is no way of being sure how many, because these minor accidents tend not to result in insurance claims; an insurance policy's excess, normally make it more practical to have the vehicle repaired at the drivers on expense.
In general women feel that they are safer on the road and that men are far too aggressive in their driving. They feel this is partly to do with the fact that men never really grow up, something that few men dispute. It certainly appears to be the case that men are quick to react if they feel another motorist is challenging them, which can often develop into situations that become quite dangerous; men find it hard to allow what they see as a challenge from another driver, to pass without reacting.
Psychologist Frank Mc Kenna says that the accident that kills and injures many young men is approaching bends at a speed that the vehicle is unable to cope with. It is suspected by some Psychologists that apart from inexperience, this is often as a result of some form of race, or proving a point to the motorist who is driving behind them. Sometimes it can be the driver showing his metal to his male companions in the car. When these accidents happen, often very serious in nature, it involves a car driven by a male and has all male passengers. Female passengers are less likely to be involved in these accidents, presumably because they refuse to be impressed by this form of driving and will ask the driver to stop driving in this manner.
Generally the figures are confusing; many insurers appear to favour women drivers claiming that male drivers are responsible for the vast majority of accidents involving death or bodily harm, dangerous driving convictions, drink driving, driving under the influence of drugs and of course speeding convictions.
The Department of Transport however has thrown some light on this; they say that women make fewer and shorter journeys than men. They stated that women only drive 1/4 of the miles that men drive but are responsible for 1/3 of the accidents involving injury. This makes them more likely to be the driver of an injury crash per mile driven. Perhaps this is why they are considered a better insurance risk, even though they are perhaps more dangerous on the road. It means that the accidents where there is injury are inevitably going to involve more male drivers than women. As a Contract Hire company we still prefer our female clients who look after our cars and generally return the vehicles in better condition at the end of the contract hire, or personal contract hire term.
Many male drivers believe that women do not have the same type of driving skills and ability as men. After all they would say there are no women Formula One drivers and from a man's point of view they do seem to spend a lot of time "dithering" on the road. This is perhaps confirmed by the Department of Transport's figures that show that women are more likely to have someone drive into the back of their vehicle. Whilst there are no figures on this; it is possible that those who drive in the back of women's vehicles are men who have become frustrated by their driving. Apparently women are also more likely to have an accident during the day and significantly more likely to be involved in an accident between the hours of 8 and 10am.
Insurance companies will probably continue to prefer their women drivers and Men will continue feel a little uncomfortable when being driven by a woman. Some say they find the journey even more tiring than if they were driving themselves; at a junction they concern themselves just as much, if not more, about approaching vehicles as if they were driving, without the ability to take action if the driver makes a mistake. This concern is not completely without foundation, as government figures show that women are more likely than men to have an accident at a junction. This could be the same lack of confidence that can be witnessed by men's sharp intake of breath when it is announced on a flight that the pilot is a women, perhaps because in the air, there is no equivalent of driving into the gatepost.
Should you have any queries or questions with regard to Fleet Management, Licence checking, Contract Hire, Personal Contract Hire, Lease Purchase or vehicle Hire Purchase, please do not hesitate to contact us. Bowater Price plc 01494 536 536. www.bowaterprice.com. - 15224
In a study that was carried out at Queen Mary University in London, psychologists said that women and interestingly gay men were very poor, when it came to a sense of direction in an environment that was unfamiliar to them. They said that men had much better navigational skills. This may account for what men refer to as "dithering" by women drivers. Being lost and confused may not be the ideal ingredients for safe driving.
In research carried out by Frank Mc Kenna of Reading University, he stated that the only area men proved to better than women was in terms of manoeuvring and parking a vehicle, as he quite rightly pointed out "few people die parking". There seems to be little doubt that women have significantly more minor accidents than men. There is no way of being sure how many, because these minor accidents tend not to result in insurance claims; an insurance policy's excess, normally make it more practical to have the vehicle repaired at the drivers on expense.
In general women feel that they are safer on the road and that men are far too aggressive in their driving. They feel this is partly to do with the fact that men never really grow up, something that few men dispute. It certainly appears to be the case that men are quick to react if they feel another motorist is challenging them, which can often develop into situations that become quite dangerous; men find it hard to allow what they see as a challenge from another driver, to pass without reacting.
Psychologist Frank Mc Kenna says that the accident that kills and injures many young men is approaching bends at a speed that the vehicle is unable to cope with. It is suspected by some Psychologists that apart from inexperience, this is often as a result of some form of race, or proving a point to the motorist who is driving behind them. Sometimes it can be the driver showing his metal to his male companions in the car. When these accidents happen, often very serious in nature, it involves a car driven by a male and has all male passengers. Female passengers are less likely to be involved in these accidents, presumably because they refuse to be impressed by this form of driving and will ask the driver to stop driving in this manner.
Generally the figures are confusing; many insurers appear to favour women drivers claiming that male drivers are responsible for the vast majority of accidents involving death or bodily harm, dangerous driving convictions, drink driving, driving under the influence of drugs and of course speeding convictions.
The Department of Transport however has thrown some light on this; they say that women make fewer and shorter journeys than men. They stated that women only drive 1/4 of the miles that men drive but are responsible for 1/3 of the accidents involving injury. This makes them more likely to be the driver of an injury crash per mile driven. Perhaps this is why they are considered a better insurance risk, even though they are perhaps more dangerous on the road. It means that the accidents where there is injury are inevitably going to involve more male drivers than women. As a Contract Hire company we still prefer our female clients who look after our cars and generally return the vehicles in better condition at the end of the contract hire, or personal contract hire term.
Many male drivers believe that women do not have the same type of driving skills and ability as men. After all they would say there are no women Formula One drivers and from a man's point of view they do seem to spend a lot of time "dithering" on the road. This is perhaps confirmed by the Department of Transport's figures that show that women are more likely to have someone drive into the back of their vehicle. Whilst there are no figures on this; it is possible that those who drive in the back of women's vehicles are men who have become frustrated by their driving. Apparently women are also more likely to have an accident during the day and significantly more likely to be involved in an accident between the hours of 8 and 10am.
Insurance companies will probably continue to prefer their women drivers and Men will continue feel a little uncomfortable when being driven by a woman. Some say they find the journey even more tiring than if they were driving themselves; at a junction they concern themselves just as much, if not more, about approaching vehicles as if they were driving, without the ability to take action if the driver makes a mistake. This concern is not completely without foundation, as government figures show that women are more likely than men to have an accident at a junction. This could be the same lack of confidence that can be witnessed by men's sharp intake of breath when it is announced on a flight that the pilot is a women, perhaps because in the air, there is no equivalent of driving into the gatepost.
Should you have any queries or questions with regard to Fleet Management, Licence checking, Contract Hire, Personal Contract Hire, Lease Purchase or vehicle Hire Purchase, please do not hesitate to contact us. Bowater Price plc 01494 536 536. www.bowaterprice.com. - 15224
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For more information about contract hire, lease purchase, finance lease or vehicle hire purchase in the UK please contact Bowater Price plc 01494 536 536.
