Men
commit nine times as many motoring offences as women. Home Office
figures show that the vast majority dealt with by courts for every
type of traffic offence are male.
The disparity between the sexes
is greatest for the most serious offences, with men guilty of
97 per cent of dangerous driving offences and 94 per cent for
causing death or bodily harm.
Women's speeding offences have risen by four percentage points
in the past five years yet still constitute only 17 per cent of
the total. Women are far less likely to have high-speed collisions
resulting in death. Crashes killed 238 women drivers in 2002,
compared with 907 men.
In the past ten years the proportion of men with licences has
remained at 81 per cent, but that of women increased from 49 per
cent to 61 per cent. However, the proportion of all motoring offences
committed by women in the past five years has risen by only one
percentage point, to 12 per cent.
Parking appears to be the only area of driving in which women
have a poorer record. Insurance claims showed in 2002 that women
were twice as likely to have a collision in a car park, were 23
per cent more likely to hit a stationary
car and 15 per cent more likely to reverse into another car.
Mary Williams, chief executive, of the road safety charity Brake,
said: "The Government should place more emphasis on changing
men's attitudes to driving and improving their safety skills,
through advertising in mediums such as men's magazines and through
education in the workplace. Particular concerns are excessive
speed, high-risk manoeuvres such
as overtaking dangerously, and driving when tired."
Steve Stradling, Professor of Transport Psychology at Napier
University, Edinburgh, said: "A key factor is that women
get less fun out of risk-taking. People speed because they are
under pressure, and women have different patterns of obligations.
Men are more likely to speed to make a business appointment."
In a survey for the Scottish Executive, Professor Stradling found
that 82 per cent of women approved of speed cameras, compared
with 68 per cent of men; 45 per cent of women believed that motorway
speed limits should never be broken, compared with 30 per cent
of men.
Nearly two thirds of men drive cars with an engine bigger than
1.6 litres, compared with 42 per cent of women. Women are also
less likely to be members of the groups that campaign for an increase
in speed limits.
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-05-12 01:00