It's Official - Men Are Terrible Drivers

Insurers have known for a long time that women are better drivers.

Men lead in accidents of all types, from fatal crashes to minor fender benders

Men, maybe it's time to hand the keys to the women. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, we'd all be a little safer if you rode shotgun more often—or, um, permanently.

I know it's a hard truth to accept; you've prided yourself on your superior driving ability. You've even joked with the guys about your wife's highway white-knuckling. Well, perhaps your wife's caution is what distinguishes safe highway behavior from your never-met-a-lane-I-liked antics.

Insurers have known that men are a more erratic behind the wheel for a long time. That's why they typically charge men more for insurance. Insurers don't have a stake in the gender war: they simply want to price risk as accurately as they can. Doing so enables them to keep rates low for everyone, men included.

Sex of drivers involved in crashes

Fatal crashes

Male

Female

Number

Rate

Number

Rate

2005

42, 947

42.84

14, 967

14.92

2006

41, 912

41.49

14, 661

14.43

Injury crashes

Male

Female

Number

Rate

Number

Rate

2005

1,836,711

1,832

1,425,161

1,421

2006

1,762,552

1,745

1,387,324

1,366

Property damage-only crashes

Male

Female

Number

Rate

Number

Rate

2005

4,357,188

4,347

3,007,038

2,998

2006

4,232,184

4,190

2,967,964

2,922

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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