RE: Why are women better drivers?
Monday 7th November 2005
Concentrating too hard?The old story about whether women are better drivers than men has reared its head again. The brains of men and women work differently, which is why women have fewer accidents than men, according to research conducted at the University of Bradford. Insurance companies offer lower premiums to women as a result.
Why are women better drivers?
Research finds the answer's in your head
Concentrating too hard?
The scientists looked at how well people could switch from one task to another after having their attention "fixed" on one task and found that women are significantly better than men at shifting concentration quickly, while doing tasks such as motorway driving.
Researcher and PhD student Amarylis Fox said: "Women seem to realise that they are being asked to do something new much more quickly than men. Men tend to blindly carry on with the original task."
The researchers attributed the effect to oestrogen. Fox said: "Our study suggests that oestrogens may positively influence neuronal activity in the frontal lobes, the area of the brain stimulated by tasks of attention and rule learning, which could explain the female advantage when performing these tasks."
Discussion
Not this old chestnut! 
Women have fewer accidents than men.
Sure they do. They also get less speeding tickets. Why? Because they drive less. Far, far less. In my household the wife will only drive if she absolutely has to. She'd prefer to be chauffeured everywhere - despite owning a sports car which she likes me to drive for her!
My brother's wife simply doesn't drive. She has a licence but hates it so much that she simply won't do it. If he can't drive her she goes by public transport!
Now I know all the PH ladies *drive*. But you aren't the majority.
Absolutely every couple I know its *him* who does the vast majority of the miles. More miles = more accidents. More miles = more speeding tickets.
Researching into how men and women drive differently may well find things. But are they statistically significant in comparison to the "staring you in the face" obvious reason? From where I'm looking it would seem very unlikely.
Don said:
Women have fewer accidents than men.
Sure they do. They also get less speeding tickets. Why? Because they drive less. Far, far less. In my household the wife will only drive if she absolutely has to.
There are exceptions, certainly, but IME most women (even those who claim to enjoy driving) actually prefer to be passengers. the article said:
Men tend to blindly carry on with the original task
i.e. concentrate on their driving, rather than nattering or some other trivial, attention-sapping task?
Women have fewer accidents because they drive less. They also have smaller accidents when they do as the vast bulk of m-way driving ( where accidents tend to be more severe when they do happen ) is done by men.
How do I know this? Mate who works for a large UK insurer showed me the research, the same is true for older drivers, they're not better drivers, they just drive less therefore have a statistically smaller chance of being in a serious accident.
How do I know this? Mate who works for a large UK insurer showed me the research, the same is true for older drivers, they're not better drivers, they just drive less therefore have a statistically smaller chance of being in a serious accident.
jazzyjeff said:
Sadly this theory doesn't explain the parking phenomenon... ;-)
Spatial awareness, women's brains can't process it or something.
Oh and just to confuse matters, their are 'male' brains, 'female' brains, 'neutral' brains and these types can be found in anyone, though obviously they are more common in their respective genders.
actually motorway accidents account for about 3% of all road accidents, believe it or not, but yeah, when it's ugly, it's ugly.
there's also a noteable theory pushed from one of the insurer surveys that 'our cars' or 'penises' -- when men have accidents (or any incident that involves hurting their beloved), they will always get it fixed. immediately. post-haste. whereas women GENERALLY view their cars as cars, so don't care as much and won't claim to have that back bumper repaired - thus obviously, statistically, the numbers are lower.
girls please note that none of the above falls into "IMO" territory
there's also a noteable theory pushed from one of the insurer surveys that 'our cars' or 'penises' -- when men have accidents (or any incident that involves hurting their beloved), they will always get it fixed. immediately. post-haste. whereas women GENERALLY view their cars as cars, so don't care as much and won't claim to have that back bumper repaired - thus obviously, statistically, the numbers are lower.
girls please note that none of the above falls into "IMO" territory
Why oh why is driving assesed on who can stick to the speed limit, or who has less accidents, or who can recognise a certain road sign? FFS.
Assesing driving should be based on the driver being able to understand steering feedback, be able to forward think a situation and drive out of a problem, control a car in a slide, smooth throttle control and driving appropriatly to all weather conditions, know what the car is doing at all times and have confidence in their driving.
Now we all know who is better at all that!
Assesing driving should be based on the driver being able to understand steering feedback, be able to forward think a situation and drive out of a problem, control a car in a slide, smooth throttle control and driving appropriatly to all weather conditions, know what the car is doing at all times and have confidence in their driving.
Now we all know who is better at all that!
jazzyjeff said:
Sadly this theory doesn't explain the parking phenomenon... ;-)
Psycho-theory goes along the lines that women have more connections between hemispheres of the brain and are therefore much better at multi tasking etc. Men have less of these connections but make up for it with better 3d spatial mapping (genetically speaking adapted to calculating where moving objects are going to end up, ideal for hunting / throwing rocks, spears etc). Also women have a wider field of peripheral vision and can take in a wider view. This is proved by the fact that women can find butter in the fridge at a glance but men have to look at each object until the come across the butter.
So to apply to driving women are better at driving in towns and identifying hazards etc but men are better at driving at night (you would normally find that a man could tell you what side of the road an oncoming car is on at night sooner than a woman. The 3d mental mapping also explains the parking phenomenon.
Also women take less risks while driving - therefore less accidents.
In a nutshell women are safer when driving, men are better at actual car control (but ruin it with overconfidence and riskier driving)
Sorry to get all nerdy but I find this whole subject (based on evolution) remarkably interesting..if you've read 'Why men dont listen and women can't read maps' this will aslo sound remarkably familiar...
oppressed mass said:
Sadly this theory doesn't explain the parking phenomenon... ;-)
Also women have a wider field of peripheral vision and can take in a wider view. This is proved by the fact that women can find butter in the fridge at a glance but men have to look at each object until the come across the butter.
So to apply to driving women are better at driving in towns and identifying hazards etc but men are better at driving at night (you would normally find that a man could tell you what side of the road an oncoming car is on at night sooner than a woman. The 3d mental mapping also explains the parking phenomenon.
Also women take less risks while driving - therefore less accidents.
In a nutshell women are safer when driving, men are better at actual car control (but ruin it with overconfidence and riskier driving)
Sorry to get all nerdy but I find this whole subject (based on evolution) remarkably interesting..if you've read 'Why men dont listen and women can't read maps' this will aslo sound remarkably familiar...
nonsense
I use the analogy of being asked to run across a shooting gallery at a time of ones own choosing and once only, compared to someone who is asked to run across the same gallery a thousand times and at any moment in time chosen by the shooters. Chances are the person who must run across a thousand times IS going to get hit. Only when they compare the number of miles driven by male and female drivers and the times that many are required to get on the road (e.g rush hour) will they begin to get an objective comparison between accident rates. I know many women who have cars but wont drive much farther than the local supermarket. any long arduous journies and its usually the bloke who gets the drivers seat.
Do women have less accidents, or do they not tell their insurers when they do? Is the claim that women have less accidents based on the amount of insurance claims made?
Mrs JM is pretty sure that women have smaller accidents and don't claim as much, they'd rather get it settled without bringing insurers into the equation.
Mrs JM is pretty sure that women have smaller accidents and don't claim as much, they'd rather get it settled without bringing insurers into the equation.
I have noticed that if someone is following too close for the speed limit it is usually a female driver 20's to 40's.
I don't think many women know the limitations of their tyres and brakes and the road surface in relation to their speed. Sometimes it is rather scary when you're driving at 60 and there's a car less than 10 feet behind you.
A passive way to increase the gap without speeding up is simply to wash your windscreen and they realise how close they are.
I don't think many women know the limitations of their tyres and brakes and the road surface in relation to their speed. Sometimes it is rather scary when you're driving at 60 and there's a car less than 10 feet behind you.
A passive way to increase the gap without speeding up is simply to wash your windscreen and they realise how close they are.
schueymcfee said:
Why oh why is driving assesed on who can stick to the speed limit, or who has less accidents, or who can recognise a certain road sign? FFS.
Assesing driving should be based on the driver being able to understand steering feedback, be able to forward think a situation and drive out of a problem, control a car in a slide, smooth throttle control and driving appropriatly to all weather conditions, know what the car is doing at all times and have confidence in their driving.
Now we all know who is better at all that!
I totally agree - nothing more to add.
silly article said:
The scientists looked at how well people could switch from one task to another after having their attention "fixed" on one task and found that women are significantly better than men at shifting concentration quickly, while doing tasks such as motorway driving.
Eh? Have I missed something here? Surely this means that women are safer drivers when driving and doing their makeup than men.
Which is hardly suprising since we guys don't know how to apply lipstick let alone drive and apply lipstick.
Anyway, ffs why is anyone multitasking when driving? The task when driving is "driving" and not driving and doing other things.
Kentish said:
Sometimes it is rather scary when you're driving at 60 and there's a car less than 10 feet behind you.
I have to laugh when i read comments like this, it would be interesting to actually drive at 60 mph nine feet behind someone, it would look and feel like you are actually touching them.
Your guess of 60 mph at less than 10 feet is probably more like 25 to 30 feet which is still to close but how can you have a reasoned discussion when you don`t stick to the facts.
You are having a go at women unfairly.
I have told you a million times not to exaggerate.
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