Who are the better drivers, women or men?.
This question has been posed for decades. Perhaps ever since the first person got behind the wheel of a car, or since the first automobile accident involving both a man and a woman. It's been a variable battle of the sexes in our culture for at least fifty years. Who are the better drivers, women, or men? .
I recently read an essay by Rachael Cowley titled Women Stop for Directions; it is this essay that made me ponder this question. In this article Cowley clearly sites all of the cliché habits of poor male drivers. For instance, not stopping for directions, revving engines, peeling out, and speeding are some of the habits she reports men doing. With the exception of not asking for directions, I agree that these are not good qualities of any driver. However, are they dangerous signs of poor driving, or are they merely a reflection of confidence in ones skills. Are these acts more dangerous then the acts done by women drivers? Dangerous acts like putting on make up in the rear view mirror, chattering to passengers and people on cell phones, and just not being as attentive as necessary. Men may drive more aggressively, but at times that is necessary. Have you ever been getting on a highway behind someone who is afraid to merge? It can be a scary experience for both you and the people already on the highway. Getting through a four way stop with a woman driver is also a chore. In my experience there are two types of .
women at four way stops, ones who think it is for everybody else but them, and the ones who will not go when it is their turn. The second type might actually be the most dangerous, because when they do get frustrated and decide to go, it is precisely when someone else is already in the intersection.
I believe the answer to who are the best drivers, or the less dangerous ones overall, is men. To start off, on average, men have better reaction times than women.