Who’s the better driver…men or women? I learned a long time ago, that question only ends in divorce. Since the invention of the automobile, this has been an ongoing argument. I’m not “siding” with either sex, but I do recall the Father’s Day card I sent my dad this year. It said “Dad’s…Proudly Refusing To Ask For Directions Since 1845.” That about sums it up, I suppose. One study shows that, on average, a man will drive 276 miles per year out of their way and wait at least ½ hour to ask for directions. Not my dad, he will never ask for directions and is probably driving aimlessly as I write this blog. One would think that the high cost of gasoline would put the kibosh on the pride issue. Why, that money could be spent on something more important…like Jack Daniels. GPS may affect these statistics, especially if the GPS is a female’s voice. Like a voice that sounds much like that of your significant other.
I do know that, while both men and women get an equal amount of speeding tickets, a male drivers speed is usually off the charts. Maybe that’s why a young male’s insurance is usually higher than a young female. Young males tend to put the pedal to the metal. And, males tend to drive more aggressively than women and they are more prone to road rage. According to AAMI, men tend to ignore speed limits and seek revenge when they feel wronged by others, while women don’t. Perhaps that doesn’t apply to women like me. Revenge is my middle name.
Also, statistics show that, in the United States, there are more females with driver’s license than males. This study doesn’t indicate if it is because most males have lost their license or if they just never got off the couch to go out and get one. I asked a group of defensive driving students what they thought of male drivers and the general consensus was that male drivers are more likely to kill you.
That’s a bit of a bold statement, I know. The class consisted of 9 women and one very nervous young man. I know he was thinking that perhaps men are more likely to kill you, if only just to make you stop yapping. I know that I have been tempted many times to drive off a bridge just to shut my boyfriend up. And, male drivers have a 77% higher risk of dying than women. The study says this is based on miles driven. I used to rate the guys who would ask me out on miles driven. And most of them, unfortunately, were highway miles. In addition, males kill pedestrians 3x more often than female drivers. Perhaps those pedestrians are jay-walking. Because, as we all know, pedestrians always have the right of way, unless they are jay-walking, and then you can take them out.
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Artist / Comedienne
Male Drivers – Comedy Defensive Driving