Way back in 2022 a Guardian survey discovered that male drivers in the UK are almost three times as likely as women to be involved in accidents that kill or seriously injure pedestrians. French and American surveys confirm this huge difference.
I'm glad to say that although I've been driving on and off for almost sixty years I've never had a serious accident and I certainly haven't injured anyone. I'm probably not quite as cautious or focused as Jenny but I don't take unnecessary risks like dangerous overtaking, going through red lights or using a phone while driving.
A lot of men seem to regard reckless driving as a masculine imperative, while concern for safety and survival take a back seat. Over and over again I encounter other male drivers swerving into my lane without warning, tailgating me or hurtling past me at a crazy speed.
Women seem to be much more safety conscious and more aware of how easily a single hazardous manoeuvre could have disastrous consequences, especially if they're more likely to have children or a baby in the car than a man.
As a French road safety campaign tells men "Conduisez comme une femme". Drive like a woman. But will men take any notice?
Yes, our car insurance rates reflect this, although the price difference is more comparable as we age.
ReplyDeleteBijoux: Yes, I imagine male drivers become more responsible as they get older.
DeleteThis is interesting. I have a friend who transitioned into a man. He said that taking testosterone was a huge revelation to him, because it immediately made him more confident. I wonder if that's the cause of men taking chances with driving?
ReplyDeleteColette: Indeed, interesting. I'm not at all a confident driver, but then several things suggest that I don't produce much testosterone.
DeleteI am lucky that my husband is a very safe driver. His situational awareness and reflexes are still good, too. He did not hit the deer that crossed the road in front of him last week nor did he drive off the road attempting to miss it.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Linda: Good that you can rely on your husband to drive safely.
DeleteUntil he gave up driving through ill health Leo was a very safe driver with good reactions...he reckoned it was honed on navigating the Hangar Lane gyratory on the north circular.
ReplyDeleteRural France was a driving nightmare....pushed off narrow main roads by speeding lorries, tailgating, and the speciality, the coup de poisson, where a maniac would overtake you and pull in right in front of you. All male drivers.
Helen: That sounds dreadful. Male drivers regularly swerve into my lane without indicating. I didn't know there was a specific French term for it!
DeleteI honestly feel women should get lower pricing on auto insurance. The men I encounter these days are crazy drivers, honking to get me out of the way when there's no safe method of doing so, screaming through red lights, taking up two lanes on a simple turn, etc.
ReplyDeleteI'm a good defensive driver and have been for over 60 years. But sometimes I wish I had another pair of eyes.
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www: I agree, women should have lower premiums. Perhaps in some countries they do.
DeleteYeap. Same with cars which are really loud !
ReplyDeleteLiam: There are several drivers in this neighbourhood with absurdly loud, souped-up cars. What are they trying to prove?
DeleteI wonder all the causes of male intemperance. I certainly remember what a rude driver my husband was, and no change when we had children in the car.
ReplyDeleteJoanne: Sorry to hear your husband was a rude driver. Jenny tends to curse bad drivers, but only in the privacy of our car!
DeleteNickI.never had a driver licence ( my eye injury was a real handicap) . Saīd was always a prudent driver and stopped driving at the age of 75 considering when getting older there can be greater risks to cause an accident. There are a lot of crazy men driving on our roads. Never understood it .
ReplyDeleteHannah
Hannah: I'm still driving at the age of 77 and usually very short trips, but if I felt I was becoming a danger to other people I would of course stop driving. There are as you say a lot of crazy men out there.
DeleteThe roads have become very aggressive, and yes, mostly men. I've been hit from the rear twice, both male drivers not paying attention.
ReplyDeleteSandra: And presumably they were following your car too closely.
DeleteI’m mostly a pedestrian, and to be fair I think I see poor driving from both sexes.
ReplyDeleteTractor drivers can be a bit reckless with their speed, sometimes I get indoors and am grateful I’m still alive.
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Ms Scarlet: Considering how much skill is needed to drive a car competently, it's surprising there aren't a lot more casualties.
DeleteI believe this. My son in law has been in countless accidents but he has bad road rage too.
ReplyDeleteMary: Oh dear, sorry to hear that. Any chance he might mellow as he gets older?
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