Reports from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways indicate that, in numerous regions of Andhra Pradesh, women exhibit superior driving skills compared to men. According to the data covering the period between 2019 and 2022, a mere 462 female drivers lost their lives in road accidents out of a total of 14,217 driver fatalities in the state. This accounts for less than 4 per cent of the overall driver casualties during that timeframe.
Why are Women the Safer Drivers?
Although the number of women driver fatalities increased from 97 in 2019 to 154 in 2022, males still accounted for about 90 per cent of road crashes, deaths, and casualties. This trend may be due to differences in driving behaviour, where men are more negligent and prone to speeding, while women drive at lower speeds and overtake more carefully.
Also, the distribution of drivers plays a role in these patterns. While men have advanced driving skills and engage in complex manoeuvres, they are also more likely to take risks such as driving under the influence of alcohol. This, according to police authorities, contributes to the higher rates of road crashes involving men.
Women are Not Safe Drivers is a Myth
Challenging the longstanding stereotype of women being inferior drivers, the emphasis is placed on individual driving skills rather than gender. Research findings reveal that women drivers tend to avoid overspeeding, with a 12 per cent lower incidence compared to male drivers. Additionally, women demonstrate hard braking practices 11% less frequently than their male counterparts.
Research globally challenges stereotypes, indicating that women generally outperform men in driving. In Andhra Pradesh, women better adhere to traffic rules, while incidents of drunk driving among women are negligible. Contrary to the belief that women are inferior drivers, the focus should be on individual skills rather than gender.
Global patterns
This pattern extends beyond Andhra Pradesh, as statistics from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in India highlight that fewer women than men are responsible for road accidents and associated fatalities. In the UK, despite a nearly equal distribution of drivers on the road, men account for a disproportionate percentage of penalty points related to traffic offences, drunk driving offences (84 per cent), and speeding offences (78 per cent).