MALE AND FEMALE CAR DRIVERS: DIFFERENCES OBSERVED IN ACCIDENTS

As part of an in-depth study made of 2654 car drivers involved in 2036 accidents over a 4-year period differences in the driver characteristics of men and women and the kind of human errors they made have been investigated. Whilst the analysis showed some significant differences between the sexes in the type of accidents and the sort of error committed, basically, there was little difference in the proportion of males and females who were regarded at fault; the figure being approximately 60 per cent of drivers for both sexes. The female driver tended to make errors of a perceptual nature by becoming distracted and not seeing hazards, she was less experienced in comparison with the male driver and found the right turn manoeuvre difficult expecially when entering a major road. On the other hand the male driver was more likely to be impaired through alcohol, tended to drive too fast for the conditions and more readily took risks. /Author/

• Corporate Authors:

  Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)

  Wokingham, Berkshire  United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • Storie, V J
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 21 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash investigation; Drivers; Drunk driving; Females; Gender; Human characteristics; Males; Maneuverability; Pavements; Perception
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver characteristics
• Old TRIS Terms: Driver perception; Female drivers; Male drivers; Rock filler /pavement/
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pavements; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00165533
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: TRRL Lab Rept. 761
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 13 1978 12:00AM