Are Men or Women More Likely to Cause Auto Accidents?

 Posted on December 24, 2024 in Car Accidents

There has been a longstanding debate about whether men or women are better drivers. While the stereotypes generally place women in the bad driving category, and while men report being much more confident in their driving abilities than women, neither of these is true. Men may be more confident in their driving ability, but this does not mean they are safer drivers.

In fact, men are significantly more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors and are involved in many more fatal crashes. Being involved in an auto accident is traumatic for either gender, especially when the accident is the result of the negligence of another driver. If you are facing injuries and cannot work due to an auto accident, you could benefit from speaking to a knowledgeable Chicago, IL personal injury lawyer.

What Types of Risky Driving Behaviors Do Men Engage In?

When compared to women drivers, men are significantly more likely to engage in the following risky behaviors:

•  Men are more likely to be involved in impaired driving accidents, especially impaired driving accidents that cause the death of another person. Men account for 81 percent of all DUI arrests in the United States.
•  In 2022, 20 percent of male drivers in fatal accidents were speeding, as compared to 13 percent of female drivers. This difference is even more pronounced in younger drivers between the ages of 15 and 19 (36 percent of men as compared to 22 percent of women).
• It is estimated that fatigued or drowsy driving causes almost 17 percent of all fatal car accidents. A person who has slept for less than four hours is 11 times more likely to be in a car accident. The NHTSA found that 52 percent of men report having fallen asleep behind the wheel, while only 30 percent of women have fallen asleep while driving.
•  Men are more likely to drive with a suspended license than women and less likely to wear a seat belt. Among younger drivers, men are three times more likely than women to never or rarely wear a seat belt.
• Significantly more auto accident fatalities are men than women (92 percent of those who die in motorcycle accidents are men, and 70 percent of pedestrian deaths are men).  
• As far as drivers in fatal crashes, men account for about 70 percent.

Yet, in crashes of equal severity, a woman is much more likely to be severely injured. One theory is that male crash dummies are historically used to test crash safety features, which means that car safety features are geared toward larger male bodies. Seat belts rarely fit women properly because they are designed for the "average" adult male who is 5’9" tall and weighs 170 pounds.

Seat belts rest against the neck of most women who are smaller. Women also typically drive smaller, lighter cars than men, which could result in more serious injuries. Considering all these statistics, you would assume that women pay lower auto insurance premiums than men. This is not true; in fact, it is the opposite. Women pay more for car insurance than men in 25 states.

Contact a Chicago, IL Auto Accident Lawyer

When an automobile accident occurs, and people are severely injured as a result of a negligent driver, it hardly matters whether the injured parties are male or female. Either way, they will face medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, whether these are minor or severe. Having an experienced Chicago, IL automobile accident attorney from Winters Salzetta O'Brien & Richardson, LLC can make a difference in the outcome of a car accident. Call 312-236-6324 to schedule your free consultation.